Pft60l5 
.A47C5' 

1907 

The Charity that began a 



French's International Copyrighted (in Engfland, her 

Colonies, and the United States) Edition of 

the Works of the Best Authors. 

t ■ - No. JI7 I 



^ 



-tt 



""" ''' * 



BEGAN AT HOME 

H Comeb^ iv. jf our Hcts 



AUTHOR OF THE TWO MR. WETHERBYK, THE RETURN OF THE 

PRODIGAL,'' "the CASSILIS ENGAGEiMENT," ETC. 



New York 
SAMUEL FRENCH 

PUBLISHER 



1( 24 WEST 22d STREET 



f» 



' THE CHARITY THAT I 



I 

: 

<«* "^ ^ 

X ST. JOHN HANKIN | 

..1 AUTHOR OF "the TWO MR. WETHERBY."^,. " " THE RHTURNf OF THR W 



2 Copyright, 1907, by Samuel French 

^ ... 

^ .^^^ 

i 

^ CAUTION :— Professionals and Amateurs are hereby notified ^ 

^ that this play is fully copyrighted under the existing laws of ^ 

^ the United States Government, and nobody is allowed to • 

^ do this play without first having obtained w^ritten 

^ permission of Samuel French, 24 West aad St., 

^ New York City, U. S. A. 

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FRENCH'S STANDARD DRAMA. 

Price 15 Cents each.— Bound Volumes $1.25. 



VOL. I. 
I Ion 

t Fulo 

S Th« L«dy ol Lyoni 

4 Rtch.lieu 

t Tb« Wif« 

e Tht Houeymoon 

1 Th« School for Scandal 

8 Money 

VOL. II. 
f The Straogar 

10 (]randf«t!i«r Whiteheaii 

11 Rioliard III 

lii Love't Sacrifice 
IS Th« Uauietter 

14 A Cure for the Heartarh 

15 The Hunchback 

16 Don Cwsar A» Bacan 

VOL. in. 

17 The Poor Gentienian 
I^ Mainlet 

IV Cliirlei II 

SO VenicB Preierred 

fl I'iiarro 

25 TI.e Love Chaie 

53 Otl.ello 

54 Lend .lie Five Shilling* 

VOL. IV. 
S.^ Vlrgitiiii. 

98 Kiu(f of the Coinmoni 
'27 London Aisurance 
«8 The Rent Day 
a» TwoUtintleiM»n of Verona 

80 The Jealou* Wifa 

81 Tlie Rivalt 
3J Perfection 

VOL. V. IDebtf 
RX A New Way to Pay Old 
S4 Look Before You Leap 
36 King John 

86 NerToue Man 

87 Damon and PvUilai 

88 Clandestine Nlarriage 
31 William Tell 

40 Day after the Wedding 

VOL. VI. 

41 Speed the FIourIi 
49 Romeo and Juliet 

43 Fendal Tiuiei 

44 Charles the Twelfth 

46 The Bride 

45 Tbe FoUiei of a Night 

47 Iron Cheit [Fair Lady 
48Falut Heart Ne— "' - 

VOL. VII 

49 Road to Ruin 

50 Macbeth 
61 Temper 
It Evadne 
6.^ Bertram 
64 The Du^na 

66 Much Aflo Ahoat NotbioK 
6« The Critic 

VOL. VIII. 

67 The Apoitate 

68 Twelfth Night 
bt Brntne 
»(4Sinip«oii A Co 
61 M»n;li»iit cf Venice 
es Old Heads* Young Hearts 

63 Mountaineers [riagt 

64 Three Weeks after Mar 

VOL. IX. 
»,S Love 

66 As Yoti Like It 

67 The Elder Brother 
•8 Werner 

69 GisippuB 

70 Town and Country 

71 Kinir Lear 
li Blue Devils 

VOL. X. 
78 Henry VIII 
74 Married and Single 
IS Henrv IV 

76 Paul >ry 

77 Guy Mannerlng 

78 SweethearU and Wires 

79 Serious Family 

80 Sue Stoops to Conqner 



W( 



VOL. XL 
81 Julius C«iar 
S:> Vicar of Wakefield 
«:i Leap Year 
84 The Cal»paw 
Ji5 The Passing Cloud 

86 Drunkard 

87 Rot) R.y 
8ji George Barnwell 

VOL. XI I. 

89 Ingomar 

yn Skmches in India 

91 Two Friends 

9 Jane Shore 

93 Corsican Brothers 

S(4 Mind your own Business 

S.T Writing on the Wall 

Ll6 H<!ir at Law 

VOL. XITI. 

97 Soldier's Daughter 

y- Douglas 

99 Miirco Spada 

I II Nature's Nuhlemait 

III Sardanapalus 
lOJ CiviPration 
lOH The Rcbbers 

104 Katharine and Petruchio 
VOL. XIV. 

105 Game of Love 
108 MidMirnmer Night's 

117 Ernestine [l»ream 

108 Raif licker of Paris 

109 Flying Duiuhman 

10 Hypocrite 

11 Therese 

12 LaTonr de Nesle 
VOL. XV. 

13 Ireland As It Is 

14 Sea of Ice 

15 Seven Clerks 

16 Ganieol Life 

117 Forty Thirves 

118 Brvan Boroihina 

119 Romance and Reality 

120 Ugolino 
VOL. XVI. 

PI The Trnipest 
1-J2 The Pilot 
l'.';i Carjienter of Rouen 
1 4 King's Riv«l 

125 Little TreJiinre 

126 Donibey and Son 
12" Parents ami Guardians 
li8 Jewess 

VOL. XVII. 
129 Camille 
LiO Married Life 

131 WenU^ck ..f Wenlock 

132 Rote of Etirii-kvale 

133 David Cnpperfield 

134 Aline, or Uie Rose of 
3S Pauline ^Killaruey 

136 Jane Kyre 
VOL. XVIII. 

137 Night and .Morning 
1.3s .fithiop 
1 f9 Thri-e Guardsmen 

140 Tom Cringle 

141 lUnriette, the Forsaken 

42 Eiutache Bandin 

43 Ernest Maltravers 
144 bold Dragoons 

VOL. XIX. 
146 Dred, or the Dismal 

[Swamp 

146 Last Days of Pompeii 

147 Esmeralda 

148 I'eler \Vil>ins 

149 Ben the Boitswalu 
l&O Jonathan Bradford 

151 Retribution 

152 Mineral! 
VOL. XX. 



VOL. 

161 All's Fair 

162 Hofer 
63 Self 

164 Cinderella 
65 Phantom 
I6« Franklin 

167 The Gunn 

168 The Love^ 
VOL. 



X.XL 
n Love 



[Mo.c< 
laker of 
it .1 Prince 
XXII. 



1 53 French Snv 

1.54 Wept of Wish-ton Wish 

155 EvilGenius 

156 Ben Bolt 

157 Sailor of France 

158 Red Mask 

159 Life of an Actress 
ISO Wedding Day 



69 Son of the .Night 
170 Rory O'More 

71 Golden Eagle 

72 Rienw 

73 Broke.i Sword 

174 Rip Van Winkle 

175 Isabel le 

176 Heart of Mid Lothian 
VOL. XXllI. 

177 Actress of Padua 
nx Floating; Beacon 

179 Bride of L.immermoor 

180 Cataract of Hie Ganges 
1X1 Robber of the Rhine 

182 School ol Reform 

183 Wandering Boys 
M aitrppa 

VOL. XXIV. 

185 Young New York 

186 The Victims 

187 Romance al'ier M.irriagi 
1H8 Brigand 

189 Poor of New York 

190 Aifibiose Gwinett 

191 Raymond and Agnes 
19« Gambler's Fate 

VOL. XXV. 
193 Fother and Son 
l'.»4 M,.<?aniello 
196 Sixteen Siring Jack 

196 yonlhUil Queen 

197 Skeleton Witness 

198 Innk-eper of Abbeville 

199 Miller and his Men 

200 Aladdin 
VOL. XXVI. 

201 Adrieime the Actress 
■AU Lfndine 

203 Je.'se Brown 

204 Asmodeus 

205 Mormons 

206 Blanche of Brandvwine 
2ir7 Viola 

208 Deseret Deserted 
VOL. XXVll. 

209 Americans iu Paris 

210 Victorine 

21 1 VViiard of the Wave 

212 Castle Spectre 

213 Horse-slioe Robinson 
211 Iniisnd, Mrs. Mnwatt 
21 • Fashion, Mrs. Mowatt 

216 Glance at New York 
VOL. XXVIIL 

217 Inconstant 
21S Uncle Tom's Cabin 
219 «»uide to the Stage 
v20 Veteran 

Miller of New Jersey 
222 Dark Hour before Dawn 
Midsum'rNight'sDreaii 
[Liiura Keene's Editioi 

224 Art and Artifice 
VOL. XXIX. 

225 r^or Young Man 
tae O»sawattomie Brown 
2'.'»Pi»|.e of Rome 
22»«ftver Twist 
•>/9 I'auvrette 

230 Man in the Iron Mask 

231 Knight of Arra 

232 Moll Pitcher 
VOL. XXX. 

233 Black Eye.l Susan 
■IM Satan in Paris 

235 Rosiiia Meadows fess 

236 West End, or Irish Heir- 

237 .Six Degrees of Crime 

238 The Lady and the Devil 
289 Avenger, or Moor of SIcI 
240 Masks and Faces [Ij 



VOL. XXXI. 

241 Merry Wives of Windsor 

242 Mary's Birthday 

243 Shandv Maguire 
.'44 Wild Oato 

245 Michael Erie 

246 Idiot Witness 

247 Willow Copse 
'48 People's Lavrver 

VOL, XXkll. 
249 The Boy Martyrs 
Lucretia Borgia 
Surgeon of Paris 

252 Patrician's Daughter 

253 Shoemaker of Toul'ust 

254 Moirieiitous Question 
55 Love and Loyalty 

256 Robber's Wife 

VOL. XXXIII. 
Dumb Girl of (ilenoa 
2 8 Wreck Ashore 
259 Clari 
26*1 Rural Felicitr 

261 WHllace 

262 Madelaine 

263 The Fireman 

264 Grist to the Mill 
VOL. XXXIV. 

265 Two Loves and a Life 
2K6 Annie Blake 

267 Steward 

268 Cnptain Kyd 
2ti9 Nirk of the Woods 

270 Marble Heart 

271 Second Lfive 

272 Dream at Sea 

Vol. XXXV. 

273 Breach of Promise 

274 Review 

275 Lady of the Lake 

276 Stili Water Runs Deep 

277 The Scholar 

278 Helping Hands 

279 Faust and Marguerite 

280 Last Miin 
VOL. XXXVI. 

281 Belle'5 Stratagem 
S2 Old and Young 

283 Raffaella 

284 Ruth Oakley 
- "" itif h y,lr ce 

2S6 A Life's Ransom 

iralda 
28 Time Tries All 

VOL. XXXVIL 
289 Ella Rosenburg 
29(1 W.irlock of Uu- Glen 

291 Zelinn 

292 Beatrice - 
2H3 Ne.iglibor Jack wood 

294 Wonder 

295 Robert Emmet 

296 (Jreen Butlies 
VOL. XXXVIIL 

297 Flowers of the Forest 

298 A Bachelor of Arts 

299 The Midnight Banquet 
.30u Husband ol mi Hour 
301 Love's Labor Lost 
.•«)2 Naiad Queen 

303 Caprice 

304 Cradle of Liberty 
VOL. XX XIX. 

305 The Lost Ship 

306 Country Squire 
.307 Fraud and its Victims 

308 Putnam 

309 King and Deserter 

310 La Fiaminiiia 

31 1 A Hard Struggle 

312 Gwinnetie Vaughaa 
VOL. XL. 

313 The Love Knot [Judge 

314 Lavater, or Not a Bad 

315 The Noble Heart 
816 Coriolanus 

317 The Winter's Tale 

318 Eveleen Wilson 

319 Ivauhoe 

320 Jonathan In Gugland 



{French's Standard Drama Continued on 3d page of Cover.) 



SAMUEL FRENCH, a6 We»t aad Street, Nc'w York City. 

New and Explicit Descriptive Catalogfue Mailed Free on Request, 



THE CHARITY THAT 
BEGAN AT HOME 

H ComeC)^ in four Hcts 



BY 

ST. JOHN HANKIN 

AUTHOR OF "THE TWO MR. WETHERBYS," "THE RETURN OF 
THE PRODIGAL," "THE CASSILIS ENGAGEMENT," ETC. 



Copyright, 1907, by Samuel French 



Caution:— Professionals and Amateurs are hereby notified that this play is 
fully copyrighted under the existing laws of the United States Government, 
and nobody is allowed to do this play without first having obtained 
written permission of Samuel French, 24 West 22d St., New York City, 
U. S. A. 



New York 

SAMUEL FRENCH 

publisher 

24 WEST 22D STREET 



London 

SAMUEL FRENCH, Ltd. 

26 Southampton St. 

STRAND 



jllBKARY of C0NGRES5 f 
I wo Copies RKflvoJ ( 

UCT 24 iSO." 
CopyriaUf Ijrbv 

rlawfl 1^67 

CLASS^ XXc. No. 
COPY u. 



110 / 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 



Cast of Original Production at the Court Theatre, London^ 
Oct. 23, 1906. 

persons in tbe Cornet)^. 



Lady Denison, 48 Miss Florence Haydon. 

Margery, her daughter, 23 Miss May Martyn. 

Mrs. Eversleigh, Lady Deiii- 

son's sister-in-law, 45 Miss Margaret Murray. 

Mrs. Horrocks, 55 Miss Lizzie Henderson. 

Miss Triggs, 34 Miss Agnes Thomas. 

General Bonsor, GT Mr. Dennis Eadie. 

Mr. Firket, 52 Mr. Edmund Gwenn. 

Hugh Verreker, 29 Mr. Ben Webster. 

Basil Hylton, 40 Mr. Berte Thomas. 

So AMES, Lady Denison's Butler, 

38 Mr Eugene Mayeur. 

William, Lady Denison's Foot- 
man, 26 Mr. Norman Page. 

Anson, Lady Denison's Maid, 

28 Miss Gertrude Henriques.. 

The action passes at Priors Ashton, Lady Denison's house 
in the country. 

Acts I., II. and III. in the Drawing Room. 
Act IV. in the Dining Roc^w. ; 

Act I. Takes place in the afternoon. 
Act II. In the morning a week later. 
Act III. After luncheon on the same day. 
Act IV. After dinner a week later. 



properties. 

ACT I. 

Two wicker work-baskets containing wool-work. 

One brilliant blue woollen crochet strip about eight inches 

wide and six feet long (finished). 
One ditto (Margery) all but finished. 
One brilliant red strip (Lady Denison) half finished. 
Hank of brilliant red wool (for Firket to wind). 
Crochet needles, etc. 
Green handkerchief case (tasteful), initials B. H. half 

worked. 
Tea cups, spoons, etc., for nine. 
Silver cream jug, milk jug, sugar basin. 
Two silver teapots. 
Silver salver. 
Large silver tray. 
Afternoon tea cloth. 

Bread and butter, cake, hot tea-cake, knife. 
Cake stand (three tiers) for handing these. 
Cushion (Mrs. Horrocks). 
Book (Mrs. Horrocks.) 

ACT II. 

Gorman Grammar (Lady Denison). 
Work-basket with needles, silks, etc. 
Mauve handkerchief-case (tasteful), initials H. V. 
Cigarette case (Verreker.) 

ACT III. 

Silver salver. 

Three letters in envelopes that have come by post, one con- 
taining long letter for the General to read. 
Fortnightly Review. 
Book (Mrs. Eversleigh.) 



4. PROPERTIES. 

ACT IV. 

White cloth for dinner table. 

Dessert service, dessert knives and forks, wine-glasses, 

etc., for five. 
Decanters. Fruit dishes, nuts, etc. 
A dish of grapes. 
Grape scissors. 

Silver box containing cigars and cigarettes. 
Matches. 

Four silver candlesticks with shades. 
Candles for these. 




*i 



THE CHAEITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 



ACT I. 



Scene. — The drawing-room at Priors Ashton, a 
handsome room in the Adam style. Double 
doors L. lead to hall. Similar doors r. lead to 
Lady Denison^s own sitting-room. French 
windows l. c. and r. c. on to terrace of ivhich 
the loiv hrlclc l)oundarg icall ornamented at in- 
tervals by stone balls on squat brick piers is 
seen through open windoics. Beyond view of 
garden and hills in distance. The fireplace is c. 
between French windows but there is no fire as 
the month is September. Writing table in cor- 
ner L. c. Book on it. French windoic l. c. is 
open, that r. c. closed during this and the next 
act. There is a sofa up stage, c. between the 
windows sufficently far from the fireplace to 
leave room to pass behind it. Arm chair r. c, 

Note. The Stage Directions throughout this play are 
given from the standpoint of the audience, R. meaning 
the Audience's Right, L. the Audience's Left. 

5 



6 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

tea tahlc near it. Small chair 'by table. An- 
other table R. icith two wicker baskets on it con- 
taining crochet wool, etc. Two chairs l. c. 
Electric bell r. of fireplace. Electric light 
switch by door l. ^o light stage, another by 
door R. to light Lady Denison's rooyn off. 

{When the Curtain rises the stage is empty. 
Then enter l. c. from terrace through open 
French window Lady Denison, a kindly com- 
fortable lady of about forty-eight followed by 
her daughter Margery, a very pretty girl of 
twenty-two. 

Lady Denison. I don't think I'll go out again, 
Margery. The sun is rather hot and it tires my 
eyes. You go if you like. 

Margery. I'd rather stay with you, mother. 
The others will get on quite well without me for 
a little. Where will you sit? 

Lady Denison. Here I think, {sits in arm- 
chair R. c. by table) I do hope they're enjoying 
themselves. Do you think they are? 

Margery, {nods) I think so. 

Lady Denison. That's right. I wonder where 
I put my work? 

MxVRGery. Here it is. Shall I bring it? 
{brings two wicker baskets from table r.) 

Lady Denison. Thank you, dear. I knew I'd 
left it somewhere. I wish this strip was finished. 
I'm getting so tired of it. {gets out long strip of 
"bright red woollen crochet) 

Margery. Poor mother! It'll soon be done 
now. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 7 

(Margery sits l. c. and gets out work.) 

Lady Denison. {beginning to crochet) How 
are yours getting on? 

Margery, {ivho has also 'begun on bright blue 
strip) Nearly finished. This is my last. 

Lady Denison. (sighs) I've still two more 
to do. 

Margery. I'll do one of them for you, mother. 

Lady Denison. No, dear. I shall manage. 
But next time I shall give blankets. 

Margery. But that wouldn't be the same as 
making something, would it? 

Lady Denison. That's why I should prefer it. 

Margery. Lazy ! 

Lady Denison. I'm so glad Mr. Hylton is 
coming down. He'll help us to entertain all these 
people. 

Margery. Yes. Isn't it lucky he and Miss 
Triggs and Aunt Emily could all come by the same 
train! The carriage will only have to go to the 
station once. 

Lady Denison. I do hope Miss Triggs will 
like being here. 

Margery. I think she will. Poor thing her 
lodgings looked dreadfully poor and uncomfort- 
able when I went to see her. Here at least she'll 
have proper meals and feel she's among friends. 

Lady Denison. Where have you put her? 

Margery. In the little room next mine. It's 
rather small but the house is so full just now. I 
wanted to put her next Aunt Emily. But Aunt 
Emily always insists on having that room for her 
maid. 



8 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. How long do you think she'll 
stay? 

Margery. Two or three weeks I hope. Long 
enough to give her a thorough rest and change. 

(Enter William l.) 

William. Can I speak to you, my lady? 

Lady Denison. Certainly. What is it, Wil- 
liam? (puts down crochet) 

William, {hesitating) If you please, my 
lady. ... I should like to give notice. 

Margery. Give notice, William? 

W^iLLiAM. Yes, miss. 

Lady Denison. W^hy now, William? 

William. I'm very sorry, my lady, to have to 
give notice at all. . . . after being with your 
ladyship so many years. . . . 

Lady Denison. Yes, yes. But why give notice 
noivf The proper time to give notice is surely 
ten o'clock in the morning when I am seeing the 
housekeeper? 

William. Very good, my lady, {going) 

Margery. Stop, William. Why do you tcant 
to give notice? You've always been a good serv- 
ant. Have you found another situation? 

William. No, miss. And I don't want to give 
notice. I hope you won't think that, Miss. 

Lady Denison. Then why do it, William? 

William, {hesitating) Well, my lady. It^s 
on account of Soames. {hesitates again) 

Margery. Soames? 

William. Yes, miss. As long as Wilkins was 
here things were better. Not but what we had our 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 9 

quarrels in the servants' hall even then. On ac- 
count of Thomas jou remember, miss? 

Margery. I remember. 

William. But with Soames it's different, miss. 
Soames and I. . . . 

Lady Denison. Have you spoken to the House- 
keeper ? 

William. Yes, my lady. But Mrs. Meredith 
says she can do nothing. Soames is that violent 
and his language quite awful when spoken to. 
So she said I had better come to you, my lady. 

Lady Denison, How very annojing of Mrs. 
Meredith. 

Margery. Has Soames been using bad lan- 
guage to you, William? 

William. Yes, miss. Not that I mind that. 
But there's other things. . . . and in fact him 
and me don't hit it off. So perhaps I'd better 
leave at the month, my lady. 

Margery. Nonsense, William. Why you've 
been with us ever since you were a boy. 

William. Yes, miss. And never thought to 
leave her ladyship so long as she was satisfied. 

Margery. Very well. Mother is perfectly 
satisfied and you must stay. And you must try 
and be patient with Soames. He has rather a bad 
temper with other servants, I know, but I'm sure 
he tries to conquer it. And you must help him. 
will you? 

William, {doultfully) Very well, miss. 

Margery. That's right. And then you'll see 
things will go better. Things always go better if 
only one tries to help people, don't they? 



10 THOE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

William. Yes, miss. 

Lady Denison. And I'll speak to Soames to- 
morrow morning. 

William. Thank you, my lady. Thank you, 
miss, (going) 

Lady Denison. And will you please send 
Anson to me, WMlliam? 

William. Yes, my lady. 

(Exit L.) 

Lady Denison. [resuming crochet ivith a 
sigh) How troublesome servants are! I did 
think after Thomas went we should have no more 
quarrelling. And now it's Soames. 

Margery. Well of course we didn't engage 
Thomas because he was a good servant did we? 
And it's the same with Soames. 

Lady Denison. I suppose so. But it certainly 
makes helping people more difficult if they won't 
exercise a little self-control. 

Margery. If they had more self-control they 
wouldn't 7iced help, would they, mother dear? 

Lady Denison. T wonder if it would be a good 
thing to ask Mr. Hylton to speak to Soames? 

Margery. Oh yes, I'm sure it would. Mr. Hyl- 
ton has such a wonderful influence with people. 

Lady Denison. Very well. I'll ask him this 
evening if I remember. 

(Enter Anson l., a smart maid dressed in Waclc, 
pretty l)nt looking rather ill and rather fright- 
ened.) 

Anson. Y^ou sent for me, my lady? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 11 

Lady Denison. Yes, Anson. I want you to 
look at the mantle I wore this morning. The 
trimming has come unstitched. 

Anson. Is that all, my lady? 

Lady Denison. Yes. I meant to tell you about 
it before luncheon. I thought I would speak 
about it now while I remember. 

Anson. Very good, my lady, (going) 

Margery. Is anything the matter, Anson? 
You don't look well. 

Anson. Nothing thank you, miss. 

Margery. Would you like to see the doctor? 
We can easily send for him. 

Anson, (alarmed) Oh no, miss. 

Margery. Y^ou're quite sure ? 

Anson. Quite, thank you, miss. I'd much 
rather not have the doctor. 

(Exit L.) 

Margery. I'm afraid something must be the 
matter with Anson. She's looked wretched lately 
and she used to be so bright. 

Lady Denison. I daresay she's only bilious. 

(Enter l c. from terrace Mrs. Horrocks followed 
1)11 Yerreker. Mrs. Horrocks is a thick-set, 
red-faced pompous rroman of no hreeding, Yer- 
reker is a handsome rather devil-may-care 
young man of nine and ticenty.) 

Margery. Are you coming in, Mr. Yerreker. 

Yerreker. Yes. It's cooler here than on the 
terrace. 

Lady Denison. Margery give Mrs. Horrocks a 
cushion. 



12 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

(Margery makes Mrs. Horrocks comfortable on 
sofa c.) 

I hope you've had a pleasant afternoon? 

Mrs. Horrocks. Quite, thank you. 

Verreker. (sitting hy Margery) Mrs. Hor- 
rocks has had no end of a good time. She's been 
telling me the entire history of the Horrocks 
family from its remotest past. It appears the 
first of the Horrockses was a historian in the 
reign of Theodoric. His name was Orosius. 
Orosius-Horrocks, 3^ou perceive. Transliteration 
by Grimm's Law. 

Lady Denison. How very interesting. 

Verreker. It was. 

Margery. Have you left General Bonsor in 
the garden? 

Verreker. No. He's just coming. He wants 
his tea. He's enjoyed himself too by-the-way. 
He's been telling Mr. Firket a story about India 
for the last two hours — Poor Firket! and it's 
going on still. 

General Bonsor. (heard off c.) So I said to 
Fenuesey — Fennesey was our senior major. . . . 

(Enter General Bonsor and Firket l. c. in 
middle of this speech. General Bonsor is a 
Milky white-tvhiskered red- faced old, gentle- 
man. Firket a pale anwmic little man in 
spectacles.) 

Thorough sportsman he was! Shoot a tiger as 
soon as look at him. Got killed afterwards out in 
the Sunderbunds. Tiger ate him. Very sad. 
However — I said to Fennesey — " Fennesey, my 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 13 

boj, if jou don't keep that dashed Khansamah of 
yours in order," I said, ^' jouH\ poison the whole 
cantonment." Fennesey hiughed at that like any- 
thing. You should have seen how he did laugh ! 

(General Bonsor laughs immoderately.) 

(Mrs. HoRROCKsV/ses impatiently, gets hook from 
table in corner l. c, returns to sofa and pre- 
tends to he immersed in it.) 

So when the judge and I and Travers were dining 
with him a week or two later {turning sharply on 
FiRKET, tchose attention is clearly ivandering) I 
told you about Travers, didn^t I? 

Mr. Firket. (pulling himself together ivith an 
effort) Eh? No, I think not. 

General Bonsor. Ah, I must. Or you won^t 
understand the story. Travers was in the Guides. 
He married — let me see whom did he marry? I 
shall remember in a moment, {jmuses, cudgelling 
his hrain) 

Lady Denison. Won't you sit down Mr. 
Firket? You look quite tired. 

Mr. Firket. [faintly) Thank you. (sinks on 
to sofa L. c.) 

General Bonsor. Blake. . . . Blake. . . . 
Blakesley. That was the name! She was a 
daughter of old Tom Blakesley of the Police. 
But I never knew him. He was on the Bombay 
side. Travers died afterwards of enteric at 
Bundlekhund, I think, or was it Chittagong? 
Yes it was Chittagong, I remember, because I had 
a touch of fever there myself a year or two later. 
Well to go back to Fennesey. . . . 



14 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery, (coming to the rescue) Can you 
spare Mr. Firket to me for a little, General? I 
want him to wind some wool for mother. 

General Bonsor. Eh? Oh certainly, cer- 
tainly, (goes up stage annoyed) 

(Mr. Firket rises ivith alacrity.) 

Margery. Do you mind, Mr. Firket? You did 
the last for her so well. 

Mr. Firket. Not at all, Miss Denison. On the 
contrary. 

Verreker. (to Margaret sotto voce) I call 
that real tact ! 

(Mr. Firket is set to wind red wool.) 

Margaret. Hush ! 

Mrs. Horrocks. (to Lady Denison) What a 
lot of work you do Lady Denison. 

Lady Denison. Yes, this is a crochet counter- 
pane for old Mrs. Buckley. It's very ugly, isn't 
it? (Jiolds it up disparagingly) Mcirgery and 
I each have to do eight strips. Then we fasten 
them together, like this, (puts red and hlue strip 
side l)y side) Mrs. Buckley's eighty-three next 
week and almost blind. That's why Margery 
chose such bright colours. So that she might be 
able to see them you know. Aren't they detest- 
ahlef 

Margery. There's my last finished, (holds up 
strip in triumph) Sure you w^ouldn't like me to 
do one of yours, mother? 

Lady Denison. No, thanks, dear. If I stopped 
doing this I should only have to begin on Mrs. 
Jackson's stocking. I'll do my share. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 15 

Margery. All right. Then I can get on with 
something else, {gets handkerchief case out of 
hasket) 

Verreker. I say you're not going to begin 
another thing straight off? 

Margery. Not begin. This is half done. It's 
a handkerchief case. 

Verreker. Is it for yourself? 

Margery. No. It's for Mr. Hylton. 

Verreker. The man who's coming down this 
afternoon? 

Margery. Yes. Those are his initials, {shows 
them) 

Verreker. B. H? 

Margery. Yes, his name's Basil. It's a pretty 
name isn't it? {goes on working) 

Verreker. Why are you working him a hand- 
kerchief case? 

Margery. I thought he'd like one. 

Verreker. Well I'd like a handkerchief case. 
Why don't you work one for me? 

Margery. Perhaps you don't deserve one. 

Verreker. I don't. But you said this morn- 
ing when one did things for people one oughtn't 
to think of what they deserve but what they want. 

Margery. And you said " What rot." 

Verreker. Well I've changed my mind. I 
think you're quite right. And I ivant a handker- 
chief case. My initials are H. V. 

Margery. Isn't that rather a sudden conver- 
sion? 

Verreker. It's none the worse for that. Be- 
sides now I come to think of it I do deserve one. 



16 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

I plajed billiards with old Firket this morning. 
To please you. 

Margery, {working steadily) To please him. 

Verreker. It didn't. I made a hundred while 
he made eight. He simply hated it. Old Firket's 
a perfect ass at billiards — though he says he can 
get me thirty per cent off any kind of billiard 
table that's made. 

Margery. Still it was nice of you to play with 
him. 

Verreker. It was. I sha'n't do it again. And 
I think I ought to have a handkerchief case for 
doing it at all. 

Margery. Very well. You shall have the next. 

Verreker. Not the next. This one. 

Margery. No, no. This is Mr. Hylton's. It's 
the first time he's been to stay with us. He works 
very hard while he's in London and scarcely ever 
gives himself a holiday so I promised if he'd 
come and spend a fortnight with us this summer 
I'd work him something. This is it. 

{The General, after mooning restlessly al)out up 
stage ^ has seated himself on sofa hy Mrs. Hor- 
ROCKS, who makes room for him on her right 
icith obvious umcillingness. She goes on read- 
ing her hook ostentatiously.) 

General Bonsor. {looking at watch testily) 
I thought you had tea at five, Lady Denison? 

Lady Denison. So w^e do, General. Is it five 
yet? 

General Bonsor. Twelve minutes past. 
Twelve and a half. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. Il 

Lady Denison. I'm so sorry. I suppose 
they're waiting for the others. My sister-in-law, 
Mrs. Eversleigh comes to-day. And Mr. Hylton 
and Miss Triggs. You've met my sister-in-law I 
think? 

General Bonsor. Yes. Met her in Madrid 
when Eversleigh was at the Embassy there. I 
was at Gibraltar. 

Lady Denison. He's at Vienna now. I wish 
he wasn't. It's such a long way off. We see 
simply nothing of them. 

General Bonsor. Not in London this Season? 

Lady Denison. No. And my brother can't get 
away even now. So Emily is coming by herself. 
I do hope she's not going to be late. 

General Bonsor. She is late. But everybody's 
late now-a-days. It's the fashion. And a doosid 
bad fashion too. When I was at Alleghur in 
'76— 

Lady Denison. I don't think it's her fault. 
Perhaps the train. . . . 

General Denison. Just so! Her train's late 
of course. That's the English Railway System all 
over. The trains run anyhow, simply anyhow. 
Why when / was at Alleghur. . . . 

Lady Denison. It may not be the train Gen- 
eral. Perhaps one of the horses. . . . However I 
really don't think we'll wait any longer. Will 
you ring, Mr. Verreker? 

(Verreker does so.) 

Mr. Firket. You ought to have a motor, Lady 
Denison. Much more reliable than horses. I can 



18 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

get you twenty per cent off any pattern you like 
to choose if you think of it. 

Lady Denison. Thank you very much, Mr. 
Firket. But I'm old-fashioned. I think I shall 
stick to horses. 

Mr. Firket. Well, if you should change your 
mind just apply to me. That's all. 

Lady Denison. I won't forget 

{Enter Soames l.) 

Bring tea, Soames. We won't wait for Mrs. Evers- 
leigh. 

SoAMEs. Very good, my lady. 

{Exit L.) 

General Bonsor. {clears his throat) As I 
was saying, when I was at Alleghur. . . . 

Mr. Firket. I might make it five and twenty 
per cent with some makers. . . . 

General Bonsor. {sternly) As I was saying 
. . . rts I was saying ... (a hush falls) When 
I was at Alleghur in '76 . . . {annoyed) There 
now! I've forgotten what I was going to say! 

(Mrs. Horrocks closes her hook angrily with a 
snap. The General starts and glares at her.) 

But it'll come back to me. Ever at Alleghur, 
Verreker, when you were in India ? 

(Verreker standing at ivlndoiv r. c. looking out, 
hack to audience.) 

Verreker. For a few months. 
Mrs. Horrocks. What was your regiment, Mr. 
Verreker ? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 19 

Verreker. Beastly place I thought it. 

Mrs. Horrocks. What was jour regiment, Mr. 
Verreker ? 

Verreker. I beg your pardon, Mrs. Horrocks. 
The Munsters. 

General Bonsor. {delighted) Then you 
knew Toby Nicholson ! He commands the Mun- 
sters, doesn't he? 

Verreker. Yes. 

General Bonsor. Why / know Toby. First- 
rate chap! Knew him when he was a subaltern. 
I must write to the old beggar. Where are the 
Munsters now? 

Verreker. Shorncliffe, I believe. 

(From this point onicards the sun 'begins to set 
and the red glow gets gradually brighter till 
Margery remarks on it a few minutes later.) 

General Bonsor. Good! I'll write to-night 
by Jove. I'd like to hear from Toby again. I've 
not seen him since we were at Poonah together. 
That reminds me what I was going to tell you ! 
When I was at Alleghur in '76 we had a train 
from Goomti that was timed to arrive at Alle- 
ghur at G:38. Just in time to change before din- 
ner don't you know. Well that ti^ain was always 
late, always by Jove! So I said to Macpherson 
. . . he was superintendent of the Alleghur- 
Goomti line. Good chap Mac. Very good judge 
of a horse. Died of cholera I remember in '81 — 
or was it '82? Anyhow I said to him ^' Mac, my 
boy, I'll race your dashed little train from the 
Boondi Bridge to the station — that's the last 



20 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 



1 



three miles into Alleghur — with my pony and 
trap for a hundred rupees. 

{During this speech Soames and William have 
brought in tea. A certain hostility is just visi- 
ble between them but very discreetly shown. 
They put the tea on the table by Lady Denison 
and go out l. Margery goes to table and pours 
out.) 

Margery. Does everyone take cream? 

Mrs. Horrocks. Milk for me, please. And 
one lump of sugar. 

Verreker. Ttvo lumps for me. 

General Bonsor. Well old Mac wasn't at all 
pleased at that. He was awfully proud of his 
little one horse line. It was opened in '72 I re- 
member. Pat Ellis was traffic manager. Ellis 
had been. . . . 

Margery. Will you give that to Mrs. Hor- 
rocks, Mr. Verreker, and this to mother. 

General Bonsor. Ellis had been. . . . 

Lady Denison. You'll find some tea cake un- 
der that cover, Mrs. Horrocks. 

General Bonsor. As I was saying. . . .. 

Mrs. Horrocks. Thank you. 

General Bonsor. As I was saying . . . 
(glares^ silence falls) Ellis had been on the Ben- 
gal-Nagpore line before he came to Goomti. He 
was a son of old General Ellis who was killed in 
the first Sikh war. He married. . . . 

Verreker. Your tea, General. 

General Bonsor. (irritably) In a moment. 
In a moment — he married Nellie Tremayne, 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 21 

daughter of Tremajne of the 63rd. Tremajne 
had four daughters I remember. . . . 

Lady Denison. {loud tcliisper) Will you cut 
that cake, Mr. Verreker, and see if anj^body would 
like some? 

(Verreker does so with elaborate precautions as 
to silence. General Bonsor meantime going 
on with his story uninterruptedly in authori- 
tative voice.) 

General Bonsor. Kitty the eldest married 
Molyneux, who was afterward commissioner at 
Ranigunj. One of his sons was gazetted the other 
day to the Shropshires. Another went into the 
navy. Maud, the second girl, married Monty Rob- 
ertson. He was a gunner. They lived in a little 
house outside Alleghur just where the road forks. 
One way leads to Balaghai, the other leads to 
. . . tut, tut, what-s the name of that place the 
Alleghur road goes to, Verreker? 

Verreker. {icho is handing tea cake) I don't 
know. Alleghur I suppose. 

General BoNsoR. (annoyed) No! no! Kupri ! 
that's the name. Kupri. There was one more 
daughter but I don't remember what became of 
her. No there were only three of them I recollect. 
It was Ainslie who had four daughters, the four 
Graces we used to call them — because there were 
four of them. 

Lady Denison. (still whispering) Some more 
tea, Mr. Firket? 

(Mr. Firket murmurs "'No'' tvith infinite pre- 
caution and puts down cup.) 



22 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

General Bonsor. Ainslie was Superintendent 
of Police and afterwards went to Central India. 
But I was going to tell you about that race. 
Well I took the trap. . . . 

{Enter Soames l.) 

SoAMES. Mrs. Eversleigh, Miss Triggs, Mr. 
Hylton. 

(Enter l. Mrs. Eversleigh, Miss Triggs and Mr. 
Hylton.) 

(Mrs. Eversleigh is a jrrosperous well-dressed 
rather hard looking woman of forty-five, Miss 
Triggs a lean angular lady of thirty-four tvith 
thin lips tightly compressed, clothed in meagre 
tight-fitting hlacJc garments. Hylton is a hand- 
some man of forty. A good face hut not in the 
least ascetic or solemn. Clothes quite human 
and unclerical.) 

Lady Denison. (rising) Dear Emily, how are 
you. (kisses her) The General's story was so in- 
teresting I never heard the carriage. You know 
General Bonsor don't you? 

(General Bonsor and Mrs. Eversleigh shake 
hands.) 

How do you do, Miss Triggs. How do you do, Mr. 
Hylton. (shakes hands with her and Hylton) 

Margery. How do you do, Aunt Emily (kiss) 
I hope you've not had a tiring journey Miss 
Triggs. (hand shake to her and Hylton) 

Lady Denison. I must introduce you all. 
Mrs. Horrocks this is my sister-in-law, Mrs. 
Eversleigh. (how) Miss Triggs, Mr. Hylton. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 23 

General Bonsor, Mr. Firket, Mr. Verreker. {con- 
fused hoiclng from cveryhody) 

Margery. And now you'll all have some tea. 
You must be dying for it. Do you know you're 
dreadfully late? 

General Bonsor. I was just saying before you 
came in, Mrs. Eversleigh, the English railways 
are the most unpunctual in the world. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. [frigidly) Indeed? I be- 
lieve our train was hefore its time. But one of 
the horses got a stone in its shoe or something 
and Hollings took about half an hour getting it 
out. 

Mr. Firket. What did I tell you, Lady Deni- 
son. You'd much better have a motor. 

Margery. Your tea. Aunt Emily, (takes it to 
her) Cream and sugar, Miss Triggs? 

Miss Triggs. No tea for me, thank you. I 
never drink tea unless it is quite fresh made. 

Margery. Then I'll order some fresh for you. 
Mr. Verreker will you ring? 

Miss Triggs. (acidly) Pray don't trouble. I 
can do quite well without any tea. 

Margery. It's no trouble. 

(Verreker rings.) 

Bread and butter, Aunt Emily, (hands to Mrs. 
Eversleigh) 

Lady Denison. You look dreadfully over- 
worked as usual, Mr. Hylton. You must have a 
complete rest while you're down here, (to Miss 
Triggs) Mr. Hylton works a great deal among 
the poor in London. 



24 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Miss Triggs. Indeed, (to Hylton) Do you 
find that does any good? 

Hylton. (smiling) I hope so. . . . 

Miss Triggs. What kind of work do you do? 

Hylton. Oh preaching and writing and so on. 

Miss Triggs. Preaching? Are you a clergy- 
man? 

Margery. Mr. Hylton is the Founder of the 
Church of Humanity. 

Miss Triggs. Oh. Not a real clergyman. 

(Enter Soames l. with teapot on salver.) 

Margery. Some fresh tea, Soames. 
Soames. Yes, miss, (puts new pot in place 
of old which he removes) 

(Exit l.) 

Margery. Now you can have your tea, Miss 
Triggs. (gives cup to her and takes Mrs. Evers- 
leigh's) 

Mrs. Horrocks. Where is the Church of Hu- 
manity, Mr. Hylton? I don't think I've ever been 
in it. 

Hylton. (quite simply) The Church of Hu- 
manity is everywhere. 

Mrs. Horrocks. But the Church, the building? 

Hylton. We have no building so far. I preach 
in halls and different places about London which 
we hire. 

Miss Triggs. I don't call that being every- 
ivhere. I call that being nowhere. 

Hylton. (smiling) In one sense of course. 

Margery. Give that to Aunt Emily, Mr. Yer- 
reker. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 25 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {to Verreker^, wIw l)rmgs 
her hack her cup) Are you one of the Norfolk 
Verrekers? I met Sir Montague in London two 
seasons ago. 

Verreker. He's my uncle. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I remember he was very 
full of some experiments he was making . . . 
with turnips. To combat agricultural depression 
I think. 

Verreker. I daresay. Uncle Montague's al- 
ways muddling round with that kind of thing. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. It doesn't interest you ap- 
parently? 

Verreker. Not in the least. But it amuses 
him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Is he working at it still? 

Verreker. Probably. I've not seen him for 
the last four years. 

Margery, {noticing red glow of sunset through 
window c.) What a lovely sunset! Come all of 
you. {goes to icindow l. c.) We must go out and 
see it. Mrs. Horrocks, General, Aunt Emily. 
Come. 

Lady Denison. Margery ! Emily hasn't fin- 
ished her tea yet. Nor has Miss Triggs. 

Miss Triggs. Thank you. I have quite done. 
(rises) 

Margery, (outside l. c.) Come to the end of 
the terrace. You can't see it properly from here. 
Be quick or it'll be gone. Come along. 

{All troop off L. c. save Lady Denison and Mrs. 
Eversleigh. They are seen to pass window r. 
c. before they disappear.) 



2ii THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. How did you leave Edward, 
Emily? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Very well I think. He's 
had a lot of work to do lately, and that always 
seems to suit him. How have you been? 

Lady Dexison. Quite well, thanks. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Who are all these dreadful 
people you've got down here? 

Lady Denison. Not dreadful, Emily. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Aren't they? I can hardly 
imagine a more dreadful visitor than General 
Bonsor. He's the greatest bore in London. Ed- 
ward says he's nearly emptied three of the Serv- 
ice Clubs. I thought people had given up invit- 
ing him. 

Lady Denison. That's why we asked him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {puzzled) I beg your par- 
don? 

Lady Denison. That's why we asked him. 
You see he's getting an old man and it seemed so 
unkind that nobody would have him to their 
houses. Of course his stories are rather long but 
I suppose he can't make them any shorter. So 
Margery thought if we asked him down for ten 
days he might enjoy it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I think it very unlikely we 
shall enjoy it. {rises and puts down cup) 

Lady Denison. Would you mind ringing 
while you're up, Emily. Then Soames can take 
away. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {does so) Who's that Miss 
Triggs? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 27 

Lady Denison. She's a governess. She teaches 
German. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Is she going to teach you? 

Lady Denison. {emphatically) Oh no, Em- 
ily. Margery did suggest it. But I refused. Miss 
Triggs is only here as a visitor. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I see. 

Lady Denison. Margery met her at the Ham- 
monds. She taught Cecily for a few weeks — till 
they could get some one else. She's very poor 
I'm afraid and doesn't get many pupils. So 
Margery thought it would be kind to ask her to 
stay. 

{Enter Soames.) 

You can take away, Soames. And turn on the 
lights. 

Soames. Yes, my lady. {turns on electric 
lights and removes tea things) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Are all your visitors in- 
vited on this penitential system? 

Lady Denison. Except you, Emily. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Except me of course. That 
Mr. Firker for instance? 

Lady Denison. Firke*. He's something in the 
City. I'm not sure what. But nothing very pros- 
perous I'm afraid. He used to be a stockbroker 
but he failed. And now he sells things on com- 
mission. I believe that's what it's called. He's 
always wanting to sell me a new billiard table or 
a bicycle or a sewing machine. To-day it was a 
motor car. I shall have to buy something from 
him before he leaves, I know. 



28 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Where do you pick up these 
extraordinary people? 

Lady Denison. Margery found Mr. Firket. 
On the Underground Railway. 

M«s. Eversleigh. Where? 

Lady Denison. At South Kensington I think. 
But it may have been Sloane Square. It was in 
a first class carriage and Mr. Firket only had a 
third class ticket. An inspector came round and 
wanted to take him up. So Margery paid his 
fare and th^n of course they became friends. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Naturally ! 

Lady Denison. He's been with us nearly a 
week. He goes on Monday. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I'm glad to hear it. 

Lady Denison. Mrs. Horrocks we met in a 
hotel at Mentone. The other people at the hotel 
would hardly speak to her. They were quite rude 
about it. Which seemed very unkind as she is 
only dull and rather vulgar. And she can't help 
that can she? So Margery said we must be nice 
to her, and later on when we were arranging 
whom to have down we thought she should be 
asked. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Surely this is rather a new 
departure of yours, Muriel? You were always 
perfectly ridiculous about what you call being 
kind to people. But it never used to be as bad as 
this. 

Lady Denison. It's Mr. Hylton's idea. He 
calls it beginning one's charity at home. He 
wants everyone to do it. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 29 

Mrs. Eversleigh. How curious. He looks 
sane enough. 

Lady Denison. Of course he's sane Emily. 
Mr. Hylton is a very clever man. He writes 
hooks. I know they must be very clever because 
I can so seldom understand them. But Margery 
does. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. But why does Mr. Hylton 
think you should fill your house with wild beasts 
in this way? Is it for the good of their souls, 
or of yours? 

Lady Denison. Both, I think. It was in a 
sermon he preached — on the true hospitality and 
the false. It was a beautiful sermon. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Which is this? 

Lady Denison. The true, of course. False 
hospitality is inviting people because you like 
them. True hospitality is inviting them because 
they'd like to be asked. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Ah ! I wish you'd thought 
of mentioning in your letter that you were prac- 
tising true hospitality just now. Then I wouldn't 
have come. 

Lady Denison. Now you're being worldly, 
Emily. And when people are worldly it always 
makes me drop my stitches. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Why was Mr. Verreker 
invited, by the way? I suppose there's something 
shady about him as lie's here? 

Lady Denison. I don't think so. Margery 
met him at a dance at the Fitz Allen's. His par- 
ents are both dead and he's quarrelled with his 
uncle and altogether seems rather alone in the 



30 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

world. So Margery thought he w as quite a per- 
son to be asked. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Why did he quarrel with 
his uncle? 

Lady Denison. About his leaving the army, 
I think. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Why did he leave the army? 

Lady Denison. I don't know, Emily, I never 
asked. 

(Mrs. Eversleigh shrugs impatiently.) 

That's all we've got at present. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And quite enough too. I 
hope they're all properly grateful. 

Lady Denison. They don't knotv. Of course 
we shouldn't dream of telling them. It would 
spoil all their pleasure. They think they're asked 
here because we like them. If they didn't they 
wouldn't enjoy it half so much. People do so love 
to feel they're wanted. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. It must be an unusual sen- 
sation with the General ! (pause) How long 
has Mr. Hylton been preaching in this absurd 
way? 

Lady Denison. He has been working among 
the poor for years I believe. But it was only this 
season that people one knew began to go to him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Does he make converts? 

Lady Denison. I suppose so. His services 
were crowded. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Indeed? I must remember 
to take Edward when we are next in London. 
Edward always enjoys a new religion. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 31 

Lady Denison. Won't you talk to Mr. Hylton 
while he's down here? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I shall make a point of do- 
ing so. London is changing very much, Muriel. 
Twenty years ago every one in society went to 
Church — or at least pretended to do so. Now-a- 
days people seem to go anywhere! 

{Enter Margery l. c. folloiced hi/ Mrs. Horrocks 
and Miss Triggs. The sunset glow has faded 
from the sky.) 

Margery. It's been such a lovely sunset Aunt 
Emily. You were lazy not to come out. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Your mother and I have 
been t:alking. 

Margery. Can Mrs. Horrocks write a letter 
in your room, Mother? The General's in the 
library with Mr. Firket and that's rather dis- 
turbing. 

Lady Denison. Certainly. Will you turn on 
the lights, Margery? You'll find note paper and 
things on my table Mrs. Horrocks. 

(Margery turns on sic itch hy door r. and opens 
it.) 

Mrs. Horrocks. Thank you so much, Lady 
Denison. 

{Exit R.) 

Margery, {to Miss Triggs) Noiv T can show 
you your room, Miss Triggs, if you will come up- 
stairs. 



32 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. I'm afraid we have had to 
give you a very small room, Miss Triggs. But 
the house is so full just now. 

Miss Triggs. {acidly) Pray don't apologise, 
Lady Denison. Of course I know persons who 
are compelled to support themselves by teaching 
can not expect to be treated with ceremony! 
Anything will do for me 

Lady Denison. I assure you 

Miss Triggs. Not at all. I quite understand. 

Lady Denison. But really, Miss Triggs 

Miss Triggs. Please do not trouble to say any 
more. It is quite unnecessary. Shall we go, Miss 
Denison? (stalls out l. followed hy Margery.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What an intolerable 
woman ! 

Lady Denison. I do think she might have let 
me explain. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Explain! I should have 
packed her out of the house if I'd been in your 
place. 

Lady Denison. I don't think Mr. Hylton 
would approve of that? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Then Mr. Hylton should do 
his own entertaining. Why doesn't he have Miss 
Triggs to stay with him? 

Lady Denison. Emily ! Mr. Hylton is a bache- 
lor. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. So I suppose. People with 
absurd theories about life usually are bachelors. 
But I don't think Miss Triggs would have come 
to any harm. She's excessively plain. 

Lady Denison. Really Emily, what dreadful 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 33 

things jou saj. I don't think living in Vienna 
can be at all good for jou. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What I can't understand 
is why, if you must be kind to people — which 
seems to me quite unnecessary — you shouldn't 
choose agreeable people instead of disagreeable 
ones. 

Lady Denison. (worried) I'm afraid I can't 
make it any clearer. But Mr. Hylton will tell 
you. 

(Hylton passes ivindoiv r. c.) 

Here he is. 

(Enter Hylton l. c.) 

Mr. Hylton will 30U kindly explain to Mrs. Ever- 
sleigh why I have to be kind to disagreeable 
people. I never can remember and Margery isn't 
here. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (with dangerous stveetness) 
My sister-in-law has been telling me about ^our 
peculiar doctrines, Mr. Hylton. 

Hylton. You see, Mrs. Eversleigh, agreeable 
people don't need friends to be kind to them. 
They have plenty already. Disagreeable people 
have not. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (hrisJcly) If people are dis- 
agreeable they don't deserve kindness. 

Hylton. It's not what people deserve but 
what they tvant that matters, don't you think? 
In fact often the less people deserve the more we 
ought to help them. They need it more. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I'm afraid that's hardly a 



U THE CHARITY THAT BeCAN AT HOME. 

view you can expect me to take seriously, Mr. 
Hylton. It's very modern and original but it's 
not serious. 

Hylton. (smiling) I should hardly have 
called it modern. Usen't we to be taught that 
it was our duty to love our enemies? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Yes. But only on Sundays. 
And no one ever dream'd of doing it. So of 
course that didn't matter. You wafnt Lady Den- 
ison to do it. 

Hylton. I certainly think the world would 
be a happier place and a better place if people 
helped each other because they needed help irre- 
spective of whether they deserved it or not. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. That is certainly a conven- 
ient doctrine for your friend Miss Triggs. 

Hylton. {smiling) What has my friend Miss 
Triggs been about? I never met her till this 
afternoon by the way. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Still it's on your principles 
that she was invited. And her manners are in- 
sufferable. 

Hylton. A little brusque perhaps. But T 
daresay it's only shyness. She has never been 
here before, has she, Lady Denison? 

Ladi" Denison. No. 

Hylton. And lots of people are shy in a 
strange house, aren't they? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Her shyness certainly takes 
a singularly unpleasant form. 

Hylton. ^Yell we must just set to work to be 
kind to her and make her enjoy her visit ni I 
in a week or two she'll be a different woman. It's 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 35 

wonderful how a little kindness and good-will 
softens people. Will you try? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {laughing) No, no, Mr. 
Hylton, I'm not going to join the Church of 
Humanity, not even to change Miss Triggs. 
Though I'm sure any change would be for the bet- 
ter. 

Hylton. (quite good-tempered) We shall 
convert you yet, you'll see. 

{Enter Margery l.) 

Lady Denison. Is Miss Triggs better satisfied 
with her room now, Margery? 

Margery. Yes, I think so. I've put her into 
mine. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What ! 

Margery. That's why I've been so long. I had 
to empty some of the drawers for her and move 
the bed. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Really Margery! 

Margery. What is it. Aunt Emily? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. To turn out of your own 
bedroom merely to please an ill-tempered German 
Governess. I've never heard of such a thing. 

Margery. Poor Miss Triggs. I suppose she 
has rather a curious temper. But I daresay 
she can't help it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Nonsense : She's a thor- 
oughly ill-conditioned person. 

Margery, {mildly) Well Aunt Emily there's 
no use being angry with her about it, is there? 
We must just be nice to her and try and make her 
stay pleasant and then I daresay she'll be bet- 
ter. 



36 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. So Mr. Hylton was good 
enough to suggest. 

Margery. Then it's sure to be right. Mr. Hyl- 
ton always knows how to manage people. 

Hylton. {rising) After that handsome com- 
pliment I think I'd better go upstairs, I have 
a letter or two to write before post — if it's not 
gone, Lady Denison? 

Lady Denison. No. The box isn't cleared till 
a quarter past seven. Where have you put Mr. 
Hylton, Margery? 

Margery. In the Blue room, mother. If you'll 
come, Mr. Hylton, I'll show you where it is. 

Hylton. Thank you. 

{Exeunt Margery and Hylton l. pause.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {looking after them thought- 
full u) Margery seems to have a great admira- 
tion for your Mr. Hylton, Muriel. 

Lady Denison. Yes, she thinks a great deal 
of him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Um Is he staying 

here long? 

Lady Denison. For a fortnight, I hope. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Is that loiscf 

Lady Denison. What do you mean, Emily? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. It would be so tiresome if 
there were to be any foolish entanglement be- 
tween him and Margery. Girls are so romantic 
about clergymen. And Mr. Hylton is a sort of 
clergyman, isn't he? Couldn't you send Margery 
away somewhere while he's here? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 37 

Lady Denison. But I don't want to send Mar- 
gery away. How am I to entertain Miss Triggs 
and Mrs. Horrocks without Margery? 

Mrs. Eversleigpi. Nonsense, Muriel. Do please 
understand that Margery's future is of more 
importance than entertaining Miss Triggs. If 
Mr. Hylton were in orders it would be differ- 
ent. Edward might get someone to give him a liv- 
ing — though livings aren't what they were of 
course. He might even become a bishop in time. 
Or at least a Dean. But as he's only some kind 
of dissenter there's no use thinking of that. And 
if he were to propose to Margery w^hile he was 
down here it might give us a great deal of trouble. 

Lady Denison. But is Mr. Hylton going to 
propose to Margery? I've heard nothing about 
it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And won't — till it's too late. 
That kind of man has no proper feeling about 
these things. And of course he hasn't a sixpence. 

Lady Denison. Hasn't he, Emily? I thought 
he was quite well off. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What! 

Lady Denison. I thought he had quite a large 
income. Only he gives it all away. At least that 
was what Lady Wrexham told me. His place is 
close to theirs in Shropshire. But it's let just 
now. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. My dear Muriel, why on 
earth didn't you say so before? 

Lady Denison. I didn't think you wanted to 
know about Mr. Hylton's income. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Not want to know? Of 



S8 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

course I want to know. It makes all the differ- 
ence. If Mr. Hylton is a rich man and has a 
place in Shropshire it explains everything. 

Lady Denison. (puzzled) Explains what? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Your asking him here. And 
turning your house into a bear garden because 
he tells you to. Of course it flatters him. And 
it does no harm — for once. It's not as if you 
need know these people afterwards. 

Lady Denison. Emily! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I wonder what his income 
really is. I must find out from Lady Wrexham. 
It'll be a great thing to have Margery properly 
settled. I was always afraid you might have some 
difficulty in finding a really suitable husband for 
her. She's so very good. And men don't like 
that. It frightens them. (rises) Yes dear, 
you've done quite right. And I think you've been 
very clever about it. I didn't know you had it in 
you. 

CURTAIN. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAiN AT HOME. S9 



ACT IT. 

Scene. — The same. Time. Morning a weelc later. 
Lady Denison discovered conning a German 
Grammar. 

Lady Denison. Der Bruder, Des Bruders, Dem 
Bruder, Den Bruder, Bruder. {looking up 
from hook) Der Bruder, Des Bruder, Den 
Bruder. No, that's wrong, {consults hook again) 
Der Bruder, Des Bruders, Dem Bruder, Den 
Bruder, Bruder. What a language! {repeats 
once more with still greater stress on the ^' ".) 

{Enter Mrs, Eversleigh l. carrying half fin- 
ished letter.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Here you are, Muriel. I 
was just going to your room to find you. 

Lady Denison. Miss Triggs is in there writ- 
ing letters, {murmurs softly Der Bruder , etc.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Can you find a corner for 
me too? When General Bonsor and Mrs. Hor- 
rocks are in the library together I feel like Dan- 
iel in the Den of lions. It's impossible to write 
letters under those conditions 

Lady Denison. How tiresome. I hoped they 
would get on better after that scene in the draw- 
ing-room last night. 



40 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I'm sure I don't know why. 
If you ask jnij^ossible people to stay they may be 
civil to you but they're i>erfectly certain to quar- 
rel with each other. Mr. Hylton doesn't seem to 
have thought of that. 

Lady Denison. What are they quarrelling 
about now? Was it about the Peerage again? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Yes. Mrs. Horrocks, who* 
really is the most vulgar person I have ever met, 
was explaining to Mr. Yerreker that she could 
always tell whether a person was well-born or 
not the moment she set eyes on him. Good blood 
always told. Of course this was meant for the 
General whose father was a tailor in Regent 
Street as everybody knows. The General took up 
the challenge at once and growled out that good 
birth was all rubbish and good blood came from 
eating good butcher's meat, not from being fifth 
cousin to a Baronet. The refere^nce was to Sir 
James Horrocks who is Mrs. Horrocks's second 
cousin twice removed as she's never tired of 
telling us. At that Mrs. Horrocks flushed crim- 
son and said the General was no Gentleman. 
And then I came away. 

Lady Denison. Didn't Mr. Yerreker maaage 
to soothe them? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. He didn't try. He seemed 
rather to enjoy the carnage. 

Lady Denison. I wonder if / ought to go? 
It'll interrupt my German dreadfully. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Your German? 

Lady Denison. Yes. I've had to learn Ger- 
man after all— to please Miss Triggs. She was 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 41 

getting restless at having nothing to do and 3'es- 
terday she said she really must be thinking of 
getting back to her work. Which was absurd of 
course, as no one wants to learn German in Sept- 
ember. However Margery said we ought to find 
her a pupil, just to keep her amused. So she's 
to teach me. (sighs) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Why doesn't Margery learn? 

Lady Denison. Margery knows German al- 
ready. Girls seem to know everything now-a- 
days. {murmurs) Der Bruder, Des Bruders, 
Dem Bruder 

{Enter Mrs. Horrocks furious, l.) 

Mrs. Horrocks. Lady Denison ! I really must 
ask you to request General Bonsor to moderate 
his language. I have never been treated with 
such disrespect in any house before. 

Lady Denison. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Horrocks. 
What has the General been saying? 

Mrs. Horrocks. I couldn't possibly repeat it. 
But he has entirely forgotten the courtesy that 
is due to a lady, as I told him! 

Lady Denison. Was that wise? I should have 
thought it would only make the General worse. 

Mrs. Horrocks. It did. He became so violent 
that I felt obliged to leave the room at once. 
General Bonsor ought to understand that this 
is not a barrack yard. 

Lady Denison. You must make allowances, 
Mrs. Horrocks. The General's temper is violent 
at times, but I don't think he can help it. 

Mrs. Horrocks. He ought to help it. 



42 THE CHARITY THAT B3GAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. Still, he's an old man. And 
he's been in India. And when people have done 
that ^ye must make allowances for them — on ac- 
count of the climate. I hear it's so trying. And 
we all have failings of some kind, haven't we? 

Mrs. Horrocks. {stiffly) I am not aware 
that / have failings. 

Lady Denison. Well. All the rest of us. Per- 
haps if you went back to him now you would find 
him a little cooler? 

Mrs. Horrocks. 1 shall certainly not do any- 
tliing so rash. If I go out on to the terrace do 
you think I shall be safe from his intrusion? 

Lady Denison. Perhaps that would be best. 
You'll find chairs out there. 

{Exit Mrs. Horrocks l. c.) 

I wonder how the General is now. Do you 
think I ought to send Margery to him? 

Mrs. Eversleigii. Certainly not. Leave him 
to Mr. Verreker. 

Lady Denison. {don'bf fully) Mr. Verreker 
isn't always very successful with the General. 
He never seems to take him seriously. And the 
General hates that, {rising) But Margery can 
always manage him. Do you know where she is. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. With Mr. Hylton, let's hope. 
Do leave her in peace. 

Lady Denison. Very well, Emily. Der Bruder, 
Des Bruders, Dem Bruder, Den Bruder, O — 

{Enter Margery and Verreker l. c.) 

Margery, Avill you please go to the library and see 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 43 

after the General? He's been quarrelling with 
Mrs. Horrocks. 

'Yerreker. The General's not in the library 
now. We passed him a moment ago crossing the 
lawn. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {severely) I thought you 
were with Mr. Hylton, Margery. 

Margery. Mr. Hylton's correcting proofs. 
I've been to the kitchen garden, with Mr. Verre- 
ker, to order the vegetables for luncheon. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. [tartly) I hardly think 
Mr. Verreker can have been of much assistance. 

Verreker. On the contrary, I was invaluable. 
I prevented Miss Denison from ordering peas and 
substituted beans. It's too late for peas. Be- 
sides I prefer beans. And I insisted on peaches. 
The gardener hesitated but I was firm. 

Lady Denison. Would you mind being quite 
quiet all of you for the next ten minutes? Or I 
shall never know this declension in time for Miss 
Triggs. You might go back to the library, Emily, 
as the General has gone. 

Mrs. Eversleigfi. [rising) Well, perhaps I 
shall be less disturbed there, [takes up unfin- 
ished letter) And you'd better go to the school- 
room and practise, Margery. You'll forget your 
music altogether if you aren't careful. 

Margery. Yery well. Aunt Emily. 

(Mrs. Eversleigh exit l. Lady Denison seats 
fierself up stage. Margery and Yerreker come 
down. ) 

Lady Denison. [murmurs) Die Schwester, 



44 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Der Sch wester, Der Sch wester, Die ScL wester, 
Sch wester, (aloud) You won't mind my going 
on with my German, will you, Mr. Verreker? I 
really must get it done. 

V^ERREKER. Not a bit. I like seeing other 
people work. 

Margery, {laughing) Then you can stay and 
urtch mother while I go and practise. 

Verreker. I'll come and watch you. 

Margery. Oh no. I never allow anyone to be 
with me when I practise. On account of the 
wrong notes. 

Verreker. Well, don't practise then. Stay 
down here and talk. 

Margery. And waste half the morning! Cer- 
tainly not! 

Verreker. You needn't. You can work — at 
my handkerchief case. You're taking an awful 
time over it. 

Margery. What a shame! Why I only began 
it two days ago and it's half finished. 

Verreker. Is it? Let nre see. 

Margery, [takes it out of haskct) Look! 

Verreker. I say it is getting on. 

Margery, {sits hy small table doivn r.) Yes. 
There are the initials. H. V. Aren't they nice 
andsprawly? 

Verreker. I say it's really awfully nice of 
you to work it for me, Miss Denison. 

Margery, {beginning to ivork on it) But I 
like working things for people. 

Verreker. Not for everybody though? 

Margery. Oh yes, if they want them. I^m 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 45 

making a whole lot of things for the Willises^ 
bazaar at Christmas. 

Verreker. I hope you don't class me with a 
beastly bazaar. 

Margery. It'll be a very nice bazaar. It's to 
pay off the debt on the Parish room. 

{Pause. Verreker looks at her wonderingly.) 

Verreker. Miss Denison, don't you ever do 
anything to please yourself? 

Margery. Of course I do. Lots of things. 

Verreker. Do you? I wish I could catch you 
at i.t. 

Margery. What do you mean ? 

Verreker. Why, you seem to me to spend your 
whole time looking after other people. All the 
morning you run round doing things for your 
mother. 

Margery. , I'm not ^' running round " now, 
am I? 

Verreker. No. Because you're making me a 
handkerchief case. In the afternoon if I ask you 
to come for a walk you insist on taking Miss 
Triggs or that ridiculous old General because it 
'' wouldn't be kind not to ask them." I think 
that's the phrase? In the evening you play 
bezique to amuse Mrs. Horrocks. Don't you oc- 
casionally do something to amuse yourself? 

Margery. I don't know. I've never thought 
about it. 

Verreker. That's just it! You've never 
thought about it! Well I think it's not right. 



46 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Nobody ought to be as unselfish as all that. It 
shows up the rest of us too much. 

Margery. How absurd you are. 

Verreker. I'm not absurd. Quite the con- 
trary. I like everyone to give his mind to getting 
a good time for himself in this wicked world. 
Then I know where I am. Of course I don't 
mind his doing someone else a good turn now and 
then. But he oughtn't to overdo it. You over- 
do it. 

Miss Triggs. (putting in head r.) I'm ready 
for you noWj Lady Denison. 

Lady Denison. Very well, (rising) I shall 
be in my room with Miss Triggs, Margery, if 
anyone wants me. 

Margery. All right, mother. 

Lady Denison. (repeating to herself) Der 
apfel, Des apfels, Dem apfel, Den apfel, apfel. 

(Exit R. Pause.) 

Margery. Mr. Verreker, why will you always 
pretend to be selfish and cynical? I'm sure you're 
not really. 

Verreker. I don't know about cynical, but 
I'm unquestionably selfish. I have no illusions 
whatever about that. 

Margery. Then, why don't you try to improve? 

Verreker. I don't want to improve. I'm quite 
contented to be as I am. 

Margery. Nobody can be that. TV^e all have 
ideals of some kind. 

Verreker. Only for other people. And they're 
usually great nonsense. If people would only 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 47 

give up bothering about ideals and face facts 
what a much happier world this would be for all 
of us. 

Margery. But that would be dreadful. Think 
what the world would lose. Think of all the 
saints and the martyrs who laid down their lives 
for ideals. 

Verreker. And think what a lot of harm they 
did! 

Margery. Mr. Yerreker, you canH mean that. 
You must feel sometimes how splendid it would 
be to do something heroic, to lay down your life 
for a great cause, to make the world better. 

Yerreker. I don't want to make the world 
better. I think the world's all right as it is. 

Margery. But you can't altvays feel like that? 
There must be times when you feel that the world 
is full of suffering and injustice. That it's not all 
right but all wrong? 

Yerreker. Oh yes. When I'm not well, you 
mean. 

Margery. No I don't. Seriously? 

Yerreker. Well, sometimes perhaps — When 
I'm with you for instance — I have a dim feeling 
that if we all put our backs into it we might im- 
prove things. But I struggle against it. 

Margery. Why struggle against it — if you 
think it would make things better? 

Yerreker. Because people who try to im- 
prove the world have a very uncomfortable time. 
Miss Denison. And I've a great dislike of being 
uncomfortable. 

Margery. Mr. Yerreker! 



48 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Verreker. Now you're shocked. But that's 
inevitable, I suppose. If one only knows enough 
about people one always does disapprove of them. 

{Enter Hylton l., Verreker looks far from 
pleased at the interruption.) 

Margery. Have you finished your proofs, Mr. 
Hylton? 

Hylton. For this morning. _" 

Margery. Then will you come here and bring 
Mr. Verreker to a better frame of mind. His 
opinions are simply dreadful — if they are his 
opinions. You must convert him. 

Verreker. (rising) No. If I'm to be con- 
verted — which I sincerely ho})e will not happen — 
I stipulate that it shall be by Miss Denison un- 
aided. Two to one isn't fair. I shall go — unless 
Hylton does, {tcfkcs out cigarette case) 

Margery. You're running away. 

Verreker. Yes — to smoke. 

(Exit L. c. Pause.) 

Margery, (putting doivn work, thoughtfully) 
What a curious man Mr. Verreker is. 

Hylton. Is he? 

Margery. Yes. He looks at things so 
strangely. I've never met anyone quite like him 
before. 

Hylton. In what way? 

Margery. In what he thinks about life — if he 
does think it. He says he's selfish and isn't at 
all ashamed of it. He says ideals do more harm 
than good and that he thinks the world would 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 49 

get along much better if only people would leave 
it alone and not keep trying to improve it. Have 
you ever met anyone who thought like that? 

Hylton. Oh, yes. It's a phase many men pass 
through. 

Margery. But they do pass through it. They 
don't stay like that, I mean, do they? 

Hylton. It depends. Some men seem as if 
they were born blind — like kittens. Soul-blind I 
mean. They have no perception at all of the 
spiritual side of things. Then one day something 
opens the eyes of their soul and for the first time 
they see. 

Margery. What kind of thing? 

Hylton. Who can say. There are many w^ays 
in which a man's soul may be awakened. A word 
may do it sometimes. A line In a poem, a sen- 
tence in a book. Or perhaps, someone comes into 
his life, someone who is kind to him or loves him 
and then the eyes of his soul are opened. 

Margery. How wonderful ! 

Hylton. Yes. But terrible too. For perhaps 
no one comes or the person who might have helped 
them is careless or indifferent and then they may 
remain blind always. 

Margery, (earnestly) But Mr. Verreker — 
anl people like him — only need someone to come 
and open their eyes? 

Hylton. Yes. Verreker's quite a good fellow 
I expect, underneath. He'll turn out all right if 
only he falls into good hands. 

Margery. But if he falls into bad hands? 

Hylton. Then he may never make anything 



.^0 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

of his life. But it won't be because there was no 
good in him. Only because no one came to bring 
it out. 

Margery, {thought fully) I see. 

Hylton. It's astonishing what a lot of good 
there is in every man if only you look deep enough 
for it. Men seem selfish and heartless and in- 
different on the surface and all the while there's 
a soul in every one of them. I could give you 
hundreds of instances from my work among the 
very poor, cases of people who seemed hopelessly 
brutish and degraded doing kind things and gen- 
erous things that would seem incredible if they 
were not true. 

Margery, {enthusiastic) How splendid! But 
that was you, Mr. Hylton. You've such a won- 
derful influence with people. You must make Mr. 
Verreker see. 

Hylton. {lightly) He didn't seem very anx- 
ious to listen to me, Miss Denison. You must try 
what you can do. 

{Enter Anson l. She looks pale and her eyes are 
suspiciously red. She hesitates on seeing who 
is in the room.) 

Anson. I beg pardon, miss. I thought I might 
find her ladyship here. 

Margery. Mother is in her room, Anson. But 
I think she's busy just now. Can / do anything? 

Anson. No, thank you, miss. I wanted to 
speak to her ladyship, {going) 

Margery. You can see if she's engaged if you 
like. 



TME CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 51 

Anson. Thank you, miss, {crosses to door r. 
and opens it) 

(Margery watches her anxiously.) 

Can I speak to you, my lady? 

Lady Denison. {off) Yes. Come in Anson. 
What is it? 

{Exit Anson r., closing door.) 

Margery. Poor mother. I expect she was de- 
lighted to be interrupted. I know / always was 
when / was learning German. 

Hylton. Is that your mother's maid? She 
looks as if she were in trouble of some kind. Is 
anything the matter? 

Margery. I don't know. She's not looked her- 
self for some time. I asked her about it a week 
ago. I wanted her to see the Doctor. But she 
wouldn't. 

Hylton. Has she been with you long? 

Margery. Four years. I daresay it's* nothing 
serious. Servants are so silly about what they 
eat. And then they wonder why they aren't well. 
Or she may have had some quarrel with one of the 
other servants. Do you find your servants quar- 
rel among themselves, Mr. Hylton? 

Hylton. No. — You see I only keep one. 

Margery. I sometimes wish ice did. Only 
last week William actually gave mother notice 
just because he couldn't get on with one of the 
others. But mother told you about that, didn't 
she? 

Hylton. No. 



52 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 
Margery. She meant to. I suppose she forgot. 

(Re-enter Anson r., crying bitterly. She crosses 
stage rapidly and exit l. Margery arid Hylton 
look after her in amazement. Then enter r. 
Lady Denison much flustrated.) 

Lady Denison. Margery, will you go and find 
Annt Emily for me? She's in the library, I think. 
1 want her advice about something. And don't 
come back, dear, for a little. 

Margery. Very well, mother. 

{Exit Margery l.) 

Hylton. (rising) Perhaps I'd better. . . .? 

Lady Denison. (fussily) No, no, please stay, 
Mr. Hylton. I shall want your advice, too. 

Hylton. Of course if I can be of any use . . . 
(re-seats hiinself. Lady Denison sits also. 
Pause) 

Lady Denison. (half irritably^ half plaintive) 
Oh, why doesn't Emily come? She said she would 
be in the library. Surely Margery ought to have 
found her by this time. 

(Mrs. Eversleigh enters l.) 

Ah, here she is. Emily, a dreadful thing has hap- 
pened. I thought you would advise me. (hesi- 
tates) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (testily) Well, Muriel. 
What is it? 

Lady Denison. Anson, my maid — you remem- 
ber Anson? She came to me from Lady Car- 
berry. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Yes. Yes. I know. Well? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 53 

Lady Denison. I was in mj room doing my 
German. Fortunately Miss Triggs had gone out 
into the garden for a few minutes while I was 
trying to learn the second declension. When 
Anson came in. She was evidently upset about 
something and looked ready to cry. In fact she 
did cry. I asked her what was the matter and 
she said she wanted to give notice. I was very 
much astonished because Anson has been with 
me four years and has never given me notice 
before. So I asked her why. And then she said 
that she and Soames . . . well in fact that 
Soames had 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Muriel ! If you are about 
to say what I suppose you are about to say 
wouldn't it be better if Mr. Hylton ? 

(Hylton rises again,) 

Lady Denison. No, Emily. I asked Mr. Hyl- 
ton particularly to remain. I shall want his ad- 
vice about this. I shall want everybody's advice. 
Besides it's partly his fault. For if it weren't 
for Mr. Hylton I should never have engaged 
Soames. 

Hylton. I didn't know. . . . 

Lady Denison. Oh yes. Soames had a verp 
bad character from his last place. In fact no 
character at all — which is worse. He was with 
the Matthisons before he came to me and Lady 
Frances gave the most dreadful accounts of him 
when Margery was staying with her. She said 
the champagne had disappeared in the most re- 
markable manner. And as for his look no one 



54 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

could make head or tail of it. I'm not sure there 
wasn't something about the plate too. Anyhow 
she sent him away — without a character as I said. 
And I always think that so hard for a servant. 
Don't you, Emily? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. To have no character? 
Very. 

Lady Denison. Well, of course, he couldn't get 
another place. And Lady Frances got a letter 
from him while Margery was there saying he was 
almost destitute. So Margery thought he ought 
to be given another chance. Mr. Hylton is al- 
ways saying people ought to be given another 
chance. Aren't you, Mr. Hylton? And as Lady 
Frances didn't seem willing to have him back and 
Wilkins was leaving me just then — on account of 
Thomas — T engaged him. I wish I hadn't now. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And now Soames hns. . . .? 

Lady Denison. Yes. And I think it's most 
wicked of him. Anson has always been a good 
girl and her mother is a most respectful woman. 
However she is willing to forgive Anson and 
have her home I'm glad to say, so that will be all 
right. She has no father, luckily. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well, Muriel, this is what 
your new forms of philanthropy lead to. 

Lady Denison. It's very unfortunate. But 
it's done now. The question is what are you to 
do? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Do? Dismiss Soames, of 
course. I'd better ring for him at once, {docs so) 
I suppose we must let him give us his version of 
the affair before you discharge him. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 55 

Lady Denison. I suppose so. But it's all very 
painful. 

(Pause.) 

Hylton. I'm extremely sorry, Lady Denison, 
if anything I have said has caused all this trouble, 
either to you or that poor girl. I never dreamed 
such a thing could occur. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Really? Then you must be 
singularly lacking in imagination, Mr. Hylton. 
It seems to me the logical outcome of your theories 
— when applied to domestic service. 

Hylton. [meeldy) Of course there's a dan- 
ger. But all reforms have an element of danger 
in them. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {triumphantly) Then why 
reform ? 

Hylton. But without reform all progress 
would be impossible. The world w^ould simply 
stagnate. We must risk something. 

Lady Denison. Well, I'd so much rather not 
have risked Anson. She was such an excellent 
maid. 

(Enter Soames l. Pause. Silence.) 

Soames. Did you ring, my lady? 

Lady Denison. (flustered) Yes. What is 
this, Soames, that Anson tells me about you? 

Soames. What has she told you, my lady? 

Lady Denison. That while we were in London 
three months ago, within a month of your coming 
to me in fact, you. . . . And now she's expecting 
a baby in the Spring. 



56 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

SoAMES. That is so, mj lady. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well! Have you nothing 
else to say? 

SoAMES. No, madam. Except of course that 
I'm very sorry this should have occurred? 

Lady Denison. Is that all? 

SoAMES. I think that is all, my lady. 

Lady Denison. Of course you're prepared to 
make all the amends in your power to poor An- 
son? 

Soames. Of course, my lady. 

Lady Denison. Very well then. You must 
marry her. 

SoAMEs. Pm afraid I can't do that, my lady. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. There, Mr. Hylton ! 

Lady Denison. Nonsense, Soames. You will 
be acting very wickedly if you do anything else. 
Anson is a good girl. A very good girl. She is 
the best maid I ever had, and I'm very sorry 
to part with her. But you have brought this dis- 
grace on her, poor thing, and you must certainly 
marry her. 

SoAMEs. I beg pardon, my lady. I should be 
perfectly willing to marry Anson. She seems a 
very respectable young woman as you say. Un- 
fortunately I am already married. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What ! 

SoAMEs. I have a wife already, madam — I am 
sorry to say. 

Lady Denison. Really this is most unlucky. 
Mr. Hylton can you suggest anything? 

Hylton. As things stand, I'm afraid there's 
nothing to suggest. We must do our best for this 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 57 

poor girl, of course, and Soames must help us in 
any way he can. That's all that I can think of. 

SoAMEs. Anything Lady Denison thinks right, 
Sir, I shall be happy to fall in with. 

Lady Denison. Very well. That will do, 
Soanies. 

SoAMEs. Thank you, my lady. 

{Exit L.) 

Lady Denison. Poor Anson. I am really 
dreadfully sorry about her. It's such a terrible 
thing to happen to a girl. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {acidly) If any other of 
your converts are engaging their servants on phil- 
anthropic lines, Mr. Hylton, you had better cau- 
tion them to choose single men. 

Lady Denison. James, I'm glad to say, is un- 
married. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. James? 

Lady Denison. The boy who helps in the 
garden. But then he's only sixteen. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Tck! — Of course Soames 
must be sent away. 

Lady Denison. {sighs) I suppose so. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Even Mr. Hylton must see 
that. 

Hylton. {thoughtfully) I'm not sure. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Not sure! After this dis- 
graceful affair! 

Hylton. I am thinking of the future, Mrs. 
Eversleigh, not of the past. I'm very sorry for 
what has happened to poor Anson, sorrier than I 
can say. But that can't be altered now. What 



58 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

is past is past. The question is how are we to 
help Soames? 

Mrs. EvERSLEiGH. {exasperated) But w^e don't 
want to help Soames. Soames has behaved 
abominably. 

Hylton. (quietly) That's no reason for not 
helping him, is it? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (gasps) It certainly seems 
so to me. 

Hylton. Surely not. Surely it's always our 
business to help anyone if we can, whatever he 
may have done. And in this case we can help 
Soames. If he's sent away now he may be abso- 
lutely ruined. You see it's the second place he's 
had to leave without a character. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) Do I understand 
you to consider that in his favour, Mr. Hylton? 

Hylton. (mildly) No. But it gives him an 
added claim on our forbearance, doesn't it? — 
since it makes it more difficult for him to make a 
fresh start. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Then the more a servant dis- 
graces himself the more we are bound to help him. 
And if he only does it often enough I suppose 
you'd pension him? 

Hylton. (gently) I would still try to help 
him, whatever he had done. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Rubbish ! 

Lady Denison. Hush, Emily ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I beg your pardon, Mr. Hyl- 
ton, but really this is quite preposterous. It's 
trying to regulate one's life by a theory instead of 
by the light of common sense. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 59 

Lady Denison. It certainly is rather confus- 
ing, you must admit, Mr. Hylton. 

Hylton. (gently) I think my view is defensi- 
ble even from the commonsense standpoint — 
though if s not a standpoint I set much store by. 
What I want — what we all want, don't we? — is to 
prevent Soames from sinking into destitution and 
so perhaps into crime. 

Lady Denison. I don't want him to do that 
of course. 

Hylton. The only way to prevent it is to get 
him some employment. Unhappily he is probably 
unfitted for anything but domestic service. The 
only thing to do therefore is to find him a place 
and give him a chance of retrieving his character. 
I would willingly engage him myself if I could 
but my establishment has no place for a highly- 
trained butler — or indeed for a man-servant at 
all. But if Lady Denison would keep him on. . . . 

Lady Denison. Oh no, I couldn't do that. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I should think not indeed! 

Hylton. [earnestly) It needn't be for long. 
Say a year. If at the end of that time his work 
and his conduct generally have been satisfactory 
Lady Denison can then send him away with a 
character and he'll be able to get another place. 

Lady Denison. But I sha'n't want to send him 
away if his conduct is satisfactory. 

Hylton. Then why not try the experiment? 
Of course I^m now putting this on the lowest 
grounds, the commonsense grounds. Morally it 
needs no defence. One should always forgive 
wrong-doing, shouldn't one? 



60 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. I can't think that, Mr. Hylton. 
Wicked people must be punished. If they weren't 
it would be so discouraging for good people. 

Hylton. Wicked people are only weak people, 
Lady Denison. If they were strong they would 
resist temptation. But they are weak and they 
yield to it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {with decision) If Soames 
is unable to resist temptation of this kind, I think 
Muriel had certainly better discharge him, on 
account of the other maids. 

Hylton. I don't think he'll offend in this way 
again. He's had a lesson. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. He had a lesson at the Mat- 
thi sons'. 

Hylton. And profited by it. He has been 
quite honest since he came to you, hasn't he, Lady 
Denison? 

Lady Denison. I believe so. 

Hylton. Very well, then. The experiment an- 
swered in that case. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Oh come, Mr. Hylton, we 
must be practical. Of course this idea about 
being kind to unpleasant people and worthless 
people and in fact to everybody one doesn't like 
and oughtn't to like, sounds very nice. But it's 
not practical. 

Hylton. Well, Lady Denison. It's for you to 
decide. 

Lady Denison. That's just it. I do so hate 
deciding things. If only I could ask Margery. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Certainly not. 

Hylton. (earnestlp^) It may save a soul. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 61 

Lady Denison. Do you really think that? 

(Hylton nods.) 

How very annoying ! However if that's so, I sup- 
pose he must stay, (sighs) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Muriel ! 

Lady Denison. Well Emily, what can I do? 
If Mr. Hylton thinks so. 

Hylton. I do think so. Thank you so much, 
Lady Denison. I'm sure you'll never regret it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I'm quite sure she will. 
And I think it's very wrong of you, Mr. Hylton, 
to make my sister-in-law behave in this way. She 
doesn't like it. 

Hylton. You exaggerate my influence, Mrs. 
Eversleigh. It is Lady Denison's own goodness 
of heart that makes her want to help people. 
Without that I should be powerless. 

Lady Denison. How nice of you to say that, 
Mr. Hylton ! But you always say the right thing. 
I was really feeling dreadfully dispirited about 
all this and you've driven it all away. There's 
nothing like tact, is there? 

{Enter General Bonsor l. c.) 

Is that you. General? Have you been in the 
garden with Mrs. Horrocks? 

General Bonsor. (froicning sternly) I have 
not, Lady Denison. 

Lady Denison. Oh no, to be sure, I forgot. 
... I mean I remember. . . . Just so. 

General Bonsor. {severely) I have been in 
the Rose-garden smoking a cigar. 



62 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Lady Denison. That's so kind of you. If s so 
good for the roses. 

General Bonsor. Where Mrs. Horrocks is I 
have no idea. 

{Exit L. head in air.) 

Lady Denison. Dear me, why did I say that! 
Of course I oughtn't even to have mentioned Mrs. 
Horrocks. But I'd forgotten all about their quar- 
rel this morning. This affair of Soames quite put 
it out of my head. And now I suppose the Gen- 
eral will be offended. Really what with quarrels 
among one's visitors and scandal in the Servants' 
Hall life is hardly worth living. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) Mr. Hylton's sys- 
tem! 

Hylton. (rising) Shall I go and pacify the 
General ? 

Lady Denison. If you would, Mr. Hylton. It 
really is scarcely safe to leave him alone just now, 
in case Mrs. Horrocks should come in. 

(Exit Hylton l.) 

It's been a very tiring morning, hasn't it, Emily. 

(Miss Triggs puts her head in r.) 

Miss Triggs. I've been waiting for you nearly 
twenty minutes, Lady Denison. Is that declen- 
sion ready now? 

Lady Denison. Oh dear, I'm afraid not. I've 
really had no time to attend to it since you left 
me, Miss Triggs. 

Miss Triggs. {sternly, coming c.) No timet 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 63 

Lady Denison. No. I^m so sorry. I was 
called away on urgent business. Most urgent 
business. And it's no good trying to do anything 
before luncheon now, is it? It will be ready in 
two or three minutes. 

Miss Triggs. I am afraid it is useless for me 
to attempt to teach you German, Lady Denison, 
if YOU are unwilling to give even the small amount 
of time I ask to studying it. 

Lady Denison. (meekly) But really, Miss 
Triggs. . . . 

Miss Triggs. Apologies are unnecessary. I 
am accustomed to be treated in this way. It is the 
experience of all women, I believe, who earn their 
living by education, [crosses l.) 

Lady Denison. I assure you. . . . 

Miss Triggs. You need not. I quite under- 
stand. We will abandon our lesson until later in 
the day when you may have leisure to apply your- 
self to it. (siceeps out l.) 

Lady Denison. Now she^s offended. Really 
it's too bad ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Mr. Hylton's system ! 

Lady Denison. I'd no idea people who taught 
German were so sensitive. I ought never to have 
said I would learn it. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. You ought never to have 
asked Miss Ttiggs here at all. Nor any of these 
people. Mrs. Horrocks, General Bonsor, Mr. Yer- 
reker. They're all impossible. 

Lady Denison. I don't see what's the matter 
with Mr. Verreker. He^s not been doing anything 
tiresome, has he? 



64 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

(Margery and Verreker appear on terrace r. c. 
Then Margery runs in excitedly Ity window l. c. 
holding Verreker by hand.) 

Margery. Mother dear, is that you? (kisses 
her) Fve got such a piece of news for you. What 
do you think? Hugh and I are engaged to be 
married ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Hugh? 

Margery, (turning to her) Mr. Verreker. 
(to her mother again, speaking very rapidly and 
excitedly) He asked me to marry him down by 
the lake and I said I would. Aren't you pleased! 

Lady Denison. Margery ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Really! 

(Gong rings loudly off.) 

Margery. Oh, there's the luncheon gong and 
my hands are simply piggy. We've been grubbing 
up ferns for my rockery. So are yours, Hugh. 
Run and wash them, dear. You must wait to be 
congratulated till afterwards. 

Verreker. All right. 

(Exit Verreker l., Margery going also.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I must say! 
Margery. I can't stop now, Aunt Emily, or we 
shall be late and then the General will be furious. 

(Exit L.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And you said Margery was 
going to marry Mr. Hylton ! Muriel, you must be 
a perfect fool. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 65 

Lady Denison. {almost iceeping) I didn't, 
Emily ! You said it I 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well, there's no use arguing 
about that now. You must put a stop to this 
engagement without a moment's delay. 

Lady Denison. Yes. I shall speak to Margery 
about it directly after luncheon. It's very naughty 
of her. I shall certainly refuse to sanction the 
engagement. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Better speak to her at once. 

Lady Denison. I think I'll wait till after 
luncheon. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Mr. Hylton again. If it 
Averen't for him Mr. Yerreker would never have 
been invited to stay. 

Lady Denison. {regretfullij) Yes. I really 
must give up going to hear Mr. Hylton. The re- 
sults are too unpleasant. I didn't mind asking 
the wrong people to the house and trying to make 
them happy. But I can't have them proposing to 
my daughter. I must make a stand against it 
all, now, at once, while I remember, {goes to hell 
and rings majestically.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. What are you going to do? 

Lady Denison. Dismiss Soames! 

CURTAIN. 



GO THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 



ACT III. 

Scene the same. Time an hour later. Luncheon 
is just over. When the Ctu^tain rises the stage 
is empty. Then enter l., Lady Denison_, Mrs. 
EvERSLEiGH, Mrs. Horrocks, Miss Triggs, Mar- 
GERY, General Bonsor, Hylton, Verreker. 

{French wndows r. c. and l. c. are both open in 
this act.) 

General Bonsor. {heard off and then enter- 
ing) ... It was at Jubbulpore it happened. 
We were np there after Pig. Travers was there, 
I remember, and Hindley of the lOGth. No not 
Hindlej. He died the year before. Bellairs. 
First-rate chap Bellairs. In the police. I'll tell 
you a story about him some day. He married 
Molly Henderson, daughter of old Henderson the 
judge. Fat Henderson we used to call him be- 
cause he was so stout. Well, as I was saying, 
Travers and I were alone together. . . . 

Verreker. {to Margery) Poor Travers! 

General Bonsor. {wheeling round) What, 
sir ! •■ 

Verreker. Nothing. 

General Bonsor. Did I hear you remark, Poor 
Travers ? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. C7 

Verreker. I hope not, General. You were not 
intended to. 

General Bonsor. Did you remark it, sir? 

Lady Denison. I think jou must have misun- 
derstood Mr. Verreker, General. 

Mrs. Horrocks. {acidly) And anyhow the 
subject is scarcel}' worth pursuing, is it? Unless 
we are to be kept listening to this story the ivhole 
afternoon. 

General Bonsor. I had not intended to de- 
tain Mrs. Horrocks. {glares) 

Margery. Don't you think we'd better all go 
out for a walk while the sunshine lasts? It's a 
pity not to make the most of it. 

Lady Denison. Margery, I 

Margery. Yes, mother. In a moment. Mrs. 
Horrocks, you'll come, won't you? 

Mrs. Horrocks. Thank you. I shall be de- 
lighted. 

Margery. Miss Triggs? 

(Miss Triggs nods.) 
General? . 

General Bonsor. {decidedly) No, thank ye. 

{Enter William l.) 

Margery. Mr. Hylton? 

Hylton. I'm afraid I must stay at home and 
finish my proofs. 

Lady Denison. Margery, I want to speak to 
you before — What is it? {to William) 

William, (to Lady Denison, holding out sal- 
ver) The post, my lady. (Lady Denison takes 



68 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

them) And could Mrs. Meredith speak to you for 
a moment? 

Lady Denison. Oh, very well. 

(Exit L.) 

Margery. That makes three. Who else? 
William, {to General Bonsor) A letter for 
jou, sir. 

(General Bonsor takes one.) 

General Bonsor. Thank ye. 

(Exit William l.) 

Excuse me. (opens and begins to read) 

Margery. Will you come, Aunt Emily? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. No, thanks. I am going to 
drive with your mother. 

Margery. Very well. Hugh, four. That'll be 
all. 

Verreker. You don't ask whether / want to 
come. 

Margery. You've got to come whether you like 
it or not. As a penance. 

Verreker. All right. If it's clearly under- 
stood that it's a penance. I'd rather like a walk. 

Margery. Let's all go and get ready then. 
Come, Mrs. Horrocks. Meet in the hall in five 
minutes. 

(Exeunt l., Mrs. Horrocks, Miss Triggs, Mar- 
gery and Verreker, pause, Hylton has picked 
up a review and is glancing at one of the arti- 
cles idly. General Bonsor is reading his 
letter.) 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 69 

Hylton. This article in the Fortnightly on 
Farm Colonies is worth reading, Mrs. Eversleigh. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Thank jou. I've had quite 
enough philanthrophj lately without that! {an- 
other pause) 

(Mrs. Eversleigh takes up hooJc and appears to 
read.) 

General Bonsor. {looking up from letter) 
Well ! ! ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {irritably) Really, Gen- 
eral Bonsor, these sudden exclamations are most 
disconcerting. Is anything the matter? 

General Bonsor. Mrs. Eversleigh is Lady 
Denison aware of the character of that young 
man? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Of Mr. Hylton? 

General Bonsor. K'o ! No ! Of that young 
man who has just left tlie room. What's his 
name? Yerreker. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I don't know. You'd better 
ask her. 

General Bonsor. I shall certainly do so. I 
venture to think she is not aware of it. I venture 
to think that when she has read what my old 
friend Nicholson, Toby Nicholson, says about him 
{taps letter fiercely) she will scarcely consider 
him a fit person to invite to meet me! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I shouldn't build on that if 
I were you. My sister has peculiar views about 
hospitality. 

General Bonsor. Can you tell me where I 
shall find her? 



70 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. She'll be back in a moment. 
I believe she only went to speak to the house- 
keeper. Here she is. 

(Re-enter Lady Denison l.) 

General BoNSOR. (hrealcing out) Lady Deni- 
son. . . . 

Lady Denison. (to Mrs. Eversleigh, fussily) 
Emily, the cooA: wants to leave now. She has 
found out about Anson and says she can't remain 
with me after the month. I told her Soames was 
leaving, but she said ... I beg your pardon, 
General. I thought Emily was alone. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. General Bonsor has some 
news to communicate to you about Mr. Yerreker. 
I needn't say of an unfavourable character. 

Lady Denison. Emily! (collapses) 

Hylton. (rising) Perhaps I'd better. . . . 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) On the contrary. 
Mr. Hylton had better remain. It's all his doing, 
as usual. 

Hylton. Mine? 

Lady Denison. Never mind that now, Emily. 
But General if you have anything unpleasant to 
say, will you say it as quickly as possible? Then 
we shall get it over. 

General Bonsor. I will do so, Lady Denison. 
(clears his throat) I have just received a letter 
from my friend Colonel Nicholson who com- 
mands the Munster Regiment. Nicholson is an 
old friend of mine. I met him first at Poonah in 
'72 . . . or was it '73. . . . 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 71 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) Please do not 
bother about dates, General Bonsor. If you will 
kindly come to the point. 

General Bonsor. Certainly, Mrs. Eversleigh. 
I wrote to Colonel Nicholson a week ago. And as 
I happened to hear Verreker say he had been in 
the Munsters I mentioned that he was staying 
down here. The Munsters are the Old 43rd, you 
know. The Fighting Forty-Third. I remember 
them in the old days when Tom Ferguson was in 
command. Ferguson and I. . . . 

Lady Denison. (pathetically) General would 
you mind leaving that part out and telling us 
what Colonel Nicholson said about Mr. Verreker 
— if he said anything? If s really important. 

General Bonsor. (stiffly) I was about to do 
so — when you interrupted me, Lady Denison. I 
will do so now. Colonel Nicholson says . . . 
where the deuce does he say it? I'll give it you 
in his own words, (fiimhles for glasses. Lady 
Denison tvild with nervous impatience) " I'm 
surprised to hear you've got young Verreker stay- 
ing with you — (looks up at Lady Denison) he 
means with you, of course — I thought people 
fought rather shy of asking him. Small blame to 
'em. He got into an ugly scrape while he was 
with us. Spent money belonging to the mess 
which he couldn't pay back. Might have gone to 
prison if the thing hadn't been hushed up. Had 
to send in his papers. Deuced ugly business alto- 
gether. Old Wakley whom you remember at Dum 
Dum. . . . That's all. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. There, Mr. Hylton! 



72 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Hylton. (puzzled) What is it, Mrs. Evers- 
leigh? Fill really quite in the dark. 

Lady Denison. Hush, Emilj. You forgot Mr. 
Hylton doesn't know jet. Nobody knows. Gen- 
eral, would you mind leaving us with Mr. Hylton 
for a few minutes. My sister-in-law and I would 
like to consult him. We are very much obliged to 
you for letting us hear the letter — and would you 
please go at once? 

General Bonsor. Certainly. 

(Exit L. c, much offended.) 

Lady Denison. Mr. Hylton, what is to be 
done ! You heard what General Bonsor said about 
Mr. Verreker just now? Mr. Yerreker proposed 
to my daughter this morning and she accepted 
him. 

Hylton. Impossible ! 

Lady Denison. I wish it were. Margery came 
and told us about it just before luncheon. Ofl 
course I was most indignant and meant to tell 
her at once that I couldn't think of allowing it, 
but the luncheon gong rang and I've had no oppor- 
tunity of speaking to her since. And it's all your 
fault, Mr. Hylton, as Emily says, for if it hadn't 
been for you I should never have asked Mr. Verre- 
ker to the house. I really knew nothing about 
him and only did it out of kindness. And now the 
General tells us this ! 

Hylton. Lady Denison, I can't say how dis- 
tressed I am that this has occurred. I would 
have done anything to prevent it. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 73 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) I'm glad to find 
there are limits even to your toleration, Mr. Hyl- 
ton. 

Hylton. Surely you never supposed I could 
approve of such a marriage? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {sarcastically) I don't 
know. You champion Miss Triggs as a visitor — 
and Soames as a Butler. Why not Mr. Verreker 
as a son-in-law? 

Hilton, (distressed) You can't really think 
that, Mrs. Eversleigh. Knowing what I now know 
about Verreker how could I possibly think him a 
fit husband for a girl like Miss Denison ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well, well, you don't think 
so. That's the main thing. The question is what 
is to be done? 

Lady Denison. Of course I shall forbid the 
engagement. I meant to do so before. But this 
puts it absolutely out of the question. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And Mr. Hylton must use 
his influence with Margery. It's the least he can 
do. 

Hylton. Anything I can do, Mrs. Eversleigh, 
you may be quite sure will be done. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And let's hope she'll prove 
amenable for everybody's sake. 

Hylton. I've no fears on that score. When 
Miss Denison learns Verreker's true character 
she won't wish to marry him any longer. It would 
be impossible. 

Lady Denison. (eagerly) Yes. Wouldn't it! 
It's not as if Margery were an unprincipled girl 
or a had girl in any way. She's a very good girl. 



74 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

And a religious girl. And so she'll do what we 
tell her. 

Hylton. (tcho has been pacing restlessly about 
and is now by window r. c.) Here is Miss Deni- 
son coming across the lawn. With Verreker. 

Lady Dennison. With Mr. Verreker? How 
unfortunate! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I don't see that it matters. 
He would have to be told what we think about 
him in any case. Whj not now? 

Lady Denison. (flustered) Very well. You 
must help me, Mr. Hylton. I'm so unaccustomed 
to having to manage Margery. She generally 
manages me. 

{Enter Margery l. c, helping Verreker, who 
limps a little.) 

Margery. Is that you, mother? Poor Hugh 
has sprained his ankle, {to Verreker) Be care- 
ful of that step, {to Lady Denison) Isn't it un- 
fortunate? He slipped as we were going down 
the bank in the old Spinney. I sent the others 
on and brought him back by the short way across 
the lawn, {to Verreker) Is it hurting much? 

Verreker. Oh no. It's nothing. 

Margery. Sit down here. {drags up sofa) 
And you must put your foot up and give it a 
complete rest. And if it's not better this evening 
we'll send for Dr. Jenkins. Wasn't it lucky we 
hadn't got farther from the house when it hap- 
pened, mother. It's so bad to walk with a sprain. 

Verreker. It's not a sprain really, Margery. 
Just a twist. That's all. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 75 

Lady Denison. Will you please not call my 
daughter Margery, Mr. Verreker. 

Margery. Not call me Margery? But, mother 
we're engaged! 

Lady Denison. You are not engaged, Margery. 
I cannot allow you to be engaged — at least not to 
Mr. Verreker. 

Margery. Why not, mother? 

Lady Denison. He knows quite well. And I 
think he's not behaved honourably in asking you 
to be engaged to him. When you know his true 
character you will think so too. 

Marqery. Do you mean about his leaving the 
army? 

Lady Denison. Yes. 

Margery. But I know about that. 

Lady Denison. I don't think you do. Not all 
about it. You imagine, as I did, that he left the 
army because he had been foolish or got into debt 
or something. It was not that. Mr. Verreker left 
the army for a far more serious reason which you 
know nothing about. 

Margery. Oh yes T do, mother dear. Hugh 
told me all about it this morning. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. He told you ! 

Margery. Yes. Before he asked me to marry 
him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Eeally! 

Lady Denison. Margery ! It's impossible. 
You would never have accepted him if he had told 
you. Mr. Verreker is not a fit person for any girl 
to marry. He is dishonest. 



76 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery. {laying hand instinctively on 
Hugh's shoulder) Mother! 

Lady Denison. He spent money that didn't be- 
long to him, money that had been entrusted to 
him. 

Margery; I know. And when the time came 
he couldn't pay it back. He told me all that quite 
fully before he proposed to me. I thought it was 
very honourable of him. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Honourable! 

Margery. Yes. Wasn't it honourable? To 
tell me I mean. He might have said nothing about 
it, or at least concealed the worst part hoping we 
should never find out. But he didn't. He told 
me everything. I think that was partly what 
made me say " yes." 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Margery ! You must be out 
of your senses. 

Margery. Why? It's all over now, quite over 
and done with. What is past is past. It happened 
four years ago. Surely we might forget it now? 

Lady Denison. No, Margery. A thing like this 
can never be forgotten. 

Margery. I can't think that. One should al- 
ways forgive wrong-doing, shouldn't one? And if 
one forgives why not forget? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Rubbish! 

Lady Denison. Mr. Yerreker I must speak 
very seriously to my daughter about this. But 
there's no need for you to stay if you'd rather not. 
It would only be painful for you to hear. Would 
you rather leave us for a little? 

Verreker. {calmly) Thank you, Lady Deni- 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 77 

son. I don't mind, {settles himself on Jiis sofa, 
pause) 

Margery. Mother, aren't jou all being rather 
hard on poor Hugh? We all do things we're 
ashamed of sometimes. Not quite the same things 
as this perhaps, but still wrong things. And if 
we're sorrj and try not to do them again oughtn't 
that to be enough? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {s7iaps) No! 

Margery, (confidently) I'm sure Mr. Hjlton 
thinks so. 

Hylton. No, Miss Denison. In this matter I 
agree with Mrs. Eversleigh. 

Margery. Mr. Hjlton! 

Hylton. Your mother has told you what she 
wishes. I think you should obey her. It is jour 
duty, (pause) 

Margery. (slotcly) Of course one should 
obey one's parents I know.' . . . But there are 
other duties as well. 

Hylton. (earnestly) Miss Denison I've no 
right to speak to you about this or to urge you in 
any way. And if you resent it I cannot complain. 
But the friendship I feel for you and your mother, 
the kindness you have always shown me, makes 
me risk that. Break off this engagement! Break 
it off I beg of you. It is impossible that a girl 
like you should be happy with such a man as Mr. 
Verreker. 

Margery, (quite simply) But one shouldn't 
only think of happiness when one marries should 
one ? 

Hylton. What do you mean? 



^8 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery. I mean there are other things. One 
would like to be happy of course. But other things 
are more important. Helping people for instance. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (scandalised) Are you go- 
ing to marry Mr. Verreker because you want to 
help him? 

Margery. Of course. This morning when Mr. 
Hylton and I were talking about Hugh he said 
there was so much that was good in him that only 
needed bringing out. That the eyes of his soul 
had not been opened yet. And he said that if he 
fell into good hands he would be all right, but if 
he fell into bad hands he might go on being care- 
less and indifferent always. So I thought if he 
married me I might prevent him from falling into 
bad hands. 

Hylton. {inucli distressed) But when I was 
talking to you about Mr. Verreker this morning I 
never dream'd of your marrying him. 

Margery. Nor did I— then. But afterwards, 
when he asked me, I remembered. And so I said 
yes. I'm sure I did right, [lays hand on Ver- 
reker 's) 

Hylton. Miss Denison, this is terrible. I as- 
sure you what you are doing is not right but 
wrong. It is quite right that you should want to 
help Mr. Verreker, of course. But it is not right 
that you should marry him. 

Margery. But perhaps it is only by marrying 
Hugh that I can help him? You see it's not easy 
for a girl to help a man however much she may 
wish to. They see so little of each other. And if 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 79 

jou're really to influence people you must be witfi 
them, mustn't you? But when people are married 
they are always together and then it's easy. So 
I'm sure I'm doing right in marrying Hugh. 
When a girl marries she should choose someone 
she can do good to, someone who tieeds her. Now 
I think perhaps Hugh does need me for he's not 
always been a very good man so far. He's been 
lazy and rather selfish and not very thoughtful 
for others. I'm going to cure him of that! Am 
I not, Hugh? 

Verreker. {half smiling) If you can, Mar- 
gery. 

Margery. And that's really worth doing, isn't 
it! You see if I married a good man — like you, 
Mr. Hylton — I couldn't help him at all. He'd be 
quite good already. But Hugh has done foolish 
things and wrong things as we know. I can help 
him. 

Lady Denison. Margery, I think you ought to 
listen to what Mr. Hylton says and what I say 
and do what we ask. It's very wrong of you to be 
so obstinate. You know we're thinking only of 
your good. 

Margery. Yes, but are you thinking of Hugh's 
good, mother? 

Lady Denison. (plaintively) What docs she 
mean? 

Margery. Would it help hitn if I broke it off? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Tck! Who ever heard of 
marrying a man to help him. 

Margery. Why not, Aunt Emily? Mr. Hyl- 



80 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

ton always sa3's the only real way of helping 
people is to love them. And if one loves people 
of course one should marry them. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Loves them ! So that's it, 
is it ! You're not marrying Mr. Verreker because 
you want to help him but because you've fallen in 
love with him. And you ought to be ashamed of 
yourself. 

Margery. Of course I love Hugh. What is 
there to be ashamed of in that? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (angrily) Is there nothing 
to be ashamed of in wanting to marry a worthless 
man knowing him to be worthless? You have 
heard of men marrying worthless women I sup- 
pose? Nobody thinks they^re performing a moral 
duty and setting an example to their fellows. On 
the contrary we think them weak or vicious. 
What you are doing is exactly what they do. 
Only they have the grace not to talk morality 
about it. 

Margery. I don't expect you to understand, 
Aunt Emily. You never do like the way mother 
and I look at things, do you? 

Lady Denison. (plaintively) Oh, don't bring 
me into this, please. 

Margery. Very well, mother. But I did think 
you would be on my side. And Mr. Hylton. I 
love Hugh and I want to help him. There's 
nothing strange in that is there? When one 
wants to help people one always does get to love 
them. That's the splendid thing about helping 
people, (pause) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well, there's no use argu- 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN At HOME. 8l 

ing with Margery while she's like this. She evi- 
dently has no moral sense whatever! 

Lady Denison. Mr. Verreker, I appeal to you. 
You see what Margery is doing. Release her from 
this engagement She is merely sacrificing her- 
self from a fantastic sense of duty. 

Verreker. {icith dangerous politeness) 
Surely not? If so I have gravely misunderstood 
Mrs. Eversleigh. I thought it was Margery's fan- 
tastic sense of affection she objected to? 

Margery. Hugh dear! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. If you are going to insult 
me, Mr. Verreker. ... ! 

Verreker. I really beg your pardon. Perhaps 
I oughtn't to have said that. But some not very 
pleasant things have been said about me, haven't 
they? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. And with reason. A man 
of your antecedents has no right to propose to 
the daughter of the house in which he is staying. 
It is taking advantage of her inexperience. It 
is dishonourable. 

Verreker. Is that so? Then I'm probably 
rather lacking in the finer sense about these 
things. . . But I suppose everyone is inclined to 
find excuses for his own misdeeds while remaining 
inflexibly severe towards his neighbours'. That's 
the foundation of all morality, isn't it, Hylton? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I should have thought steal- 
ing. . . ! 

Verreker. Yes. Stealing's an ugly word, 
isn't it? It even makes me uncomfortable. . . 
And yet if you understood the whole circum- 



S2 THE CHAnifY That Began at home. 

stances you might take a more lenient view. But 
that of course would be a very bad thing for 
morality. So no doubt you'd rather not. 

Hylton. Lady Denison, if Mr. Verreker has 
anything to tell you that will put a more favor- 
able light on the General's story. . . . 

Verreker. The General's? So he told you? 

Lady Denison. He heard it from Colonel 
Nicholson who commands your old regiment. 

Verreker. Yes, yes. I remember. He said he 
was writing to him. Poor General, so he really 
has been able to finish a story for once! 

Hylton. I was going to say that it would be 
only fair to give Mr. Verreker every chance of 
defending himself. 

Verreker. Oh I don't think it amounts to a 
defence. Merely a statement of the case frecn the 
person who knows most about it — the criminal 
as Mrs. Eversleigh would say. — I was an extrava- 
gant young fool. The regiment w^as an expensive 
one. I had a small allowance. I had lost money 
over cards — and other things — to richer men than 
I was — who by the way ought never to have played 
with me at all. Like an idiot I thought I must 
pay my debts to them whatever happened. You 
know the nonsense that is talked about a debt 
of honour. To do that I used money belonging 
to the mess which happened to be in my hands. 
Of course I hoped to pay it back at once or I 
shouldn't have done it. Equally of course I failed 
to do so. The horse that was simply bound to win 
lost and I played cards for a whole week and 
never held a trump. The usual thing. When 



THE CHARITY THAT BECIAN AT HOME. 83 

things were pretty desperate I cabled to Uncle 
Montague — I was in India at the time — asking 
him to send me a hundred pounds by return. Of 
course I lied to him about the reason. Everybody 
does lie I suppose about that sort of reason. I 
said I owed it to tailors and people I remember. 
Naturally Uncle Mont didn't see the force of 
sending me a hundred pounds without haggling 
about it. Uncles always do haggle about money, 
I believe. At least mine do. So Uncle Mont 
haggled and like a young ass instead of going 
straight to the Colonel or the money-lenders I 
faked the accounts. It was purely a temporary 
expedient. I knew the money would turn up in a 
week or two. It was merely a question of gain- 
ing time. But as luck would have it someone 
with an elementary knowledge of arithmetic hap- 
pened to glance at the accounts. He spotted some- 
thing was wrong and told the others and instead 
of coming to me they went to the Colonel. The 
Colonel sent for me and there was no end of a 
row. I tried to make him understand but he 
couldn't. The stupidity of military men has been 
proverbial in all ages. I'm a bit of a fool myself 
as you will have noticed. He stormed and I was 
sulky. My borrowing the money intending to 
repay it he could just understand but faking the 
accounts to conceal the fact was beyond him. 
Though it was the logical consequence of the 
other if the thing was to be kept dark. When 
the fat was in the fire Uncle Mont's cheque turned 
up. But by that time we'd all lost our tempers, 



84 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN At HOMfi. 

the Colonel was prancing round about the honour 
of the Regiment, and I had to send in mv papers. 

Hylton. (half to himself) Poor fellow. 

Verreker. Eh? 

Hylton. Nothing. 

Margery, {triumphant) Mr. Hjlton I knew 
you'd understand. Thank you. (pause) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) Well Mr. Verre- 
ker you've made out a very clever case and you've 
put it very glibly. It must have taken you some 
time to prepare. 

Verreker. Just four years, Mrs. Eversleigh. 
It happened four years ago and I've not had much 
else to think of since. It was a confoundedly 
silly thing to do as I said and I've been w^onder- 
ing ever since how I came to do it. The result of 
my consideration is the story I've told you. I 
don't ask you to believe it of course. But it's 
quite true. 

Hylton. / believe it, Verreker. And I'm more 
sorry for you than I can say. If I've said any- 
thing that was harsh or unjustifiable please for- 
give me. 

Verreker. Not at all, my dear fellow. 

Lady Denison. It's all dreadfully sad, Mr. 
Verreker. I see that. But still it doesn't alter 
the facts, does it? You have had to leave the 
army. Your reputation is ruined. And that 
makes you not a fit husband for Margery. 

Verreker. I feel that. Lady Denison. 

Margery. Hugh ! 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Then why did you propose 
to her? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 85 

Verreker. (shrugs) A sudden impulse I 
suppose. That's how most people propose isn't 
it? If they stopped to think they'd think better 
of it, and then no one would ever marry at all. 
Which would perhaps be the wisest plan for all 
parties. 

Lady Denison. Still in your case you must 
admit there were special reasons? 

Verreker. I don't know. How many men are 
fit husbands for the girls they marry? One in 
a hundred? One in a thousand? Girls are so 
ridiculously innocent. And men are so ridicu- 
lously depraved. I'm not so very much worse than 
the others. Only I was stupider. And that 
ruined me. But it was four years ago. And I'm 
not likely to do it again. A man doesn't play the 
fool like that twice. One pays too dear for if. 
Considered as a husband I'm probably the better 
for the experience. I've learnt by it. (pause) 

Lady Denison. Mr. Verreker, what you say is 
quite true and I daresay you're not really worse 
than many men, though the world judges things 
like this more hardly than other things. But we 
are in the world and we must accept its judg- 
ment as we cannot alter it. If you marry Mar- 
gery she will have to suffer for what you have 
done. I don't think you want her to do that. 
Be generous and release her from her promise. 

Verreker. My dear Lady Denison I put my- 
self entirely in Margery's hands. If she wishes 
to end our engagement she is absolutely free to 
do so. I assert no claim over her whatever. I 
agree with you that she would only be acting 



86 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

wisely to break it off and I sha'n't dream of blam- 
ing her if she does so. But you mustn't ask me 
to break it off. A man can't do that. But if 
Margery wants her freedom she has only to speak. 

Hylton. (enthusiastic) That's fine of you, 
Verreker. That's noble on my soul. You really 
are a good fellow. I know what it must cost you 
to give up a girl like Miss Denion. I honour you 
for it. (Holds out hand) 

Verreker. (taking it) Thanks, my dear chap. 
But you mustn't be too precipitate. I haven't 
given her up yet. Margery hasn't spoken. 

Lady Denison. Margery dear you will break 
it off? 

Margery. No, mother. As long as Hugh 
wants me I shall stand by him. 

Lady Denison. Then you don't love your 
mother. 

(Margery runs impulsively to her mother and 
kisses her.) 

Margery. Of course I love you, mother dear. 
But I love Hugh too. (pause) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Well, I suppose there's no 
more to be said. If Margery is determined to 
ruin herself nobody can prevent her. You of 
course will continue to forbid the engagement, 
Muriel, but Margery is of age and if she chooses 
to defy you and marry this Mr. Verreker she can 
do so. But in that case I hope you will en- 
tirely refuse to make her any allowance and in 
fact will disinherit her. 

Lady Denison. What nonsense, Emily. Of 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 87 

course Margery must have an allowance. What 
else is she to live on? Especially as I suppose Mr. 
Verreker has nothing? 

Verreker. Next to nothing. 

Lady Denison. Very well then. Naturally I 
shall have to help them. x4nd as for disinherit- 
ing her that's impossible even if it were just, as 
I*ve no other children. No, Margery must be pro- 
vided for in any case. I'm sorry she is unwilling 
to do as I wish and I think this engagement ter- 
ribly unwise and unsuitable. But I suppose she's 
very fond of Hugh just as I was very fond of 
Charlie — before I married him. And so she must 
do as she likes. 

(Mrs. Eversleigh gives up the struggle in de- 
spair and opens her hook again with a shrug.) 

Margery. Darling mother! {embraces her) 
Now you're being like yourself again instead of 
being like Aunt Emily — which doesn't suit you 
one bit. I always knew you'd agree with me 
really — and Mr. Hylton — though you took rather 
longer than I expected. Hugh, give mother a 
kiss like a dutiful son-in-law and say you think 
her the best woman in the world. 

Verreker. {drily) I think I'll spare poor 
Lady Denjson that. She's had a great deal to 
put up with during the past hour. 

Margery. Poor mother, I suppose she has. 

Verreker. I hope however later on she'll get 
more reconciled to things. She can't really dis- 
like me as much as she thinks, otherwise she 
wouldn't have asked me here. 



88 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

(Mrs. Eversleigh closes her hook deliberately 
with a smile of malicious satisfaction.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {with hitter politeness) 
Vm afraid I really must disabuse you of that 
idea, Mr. Verreker. My sister-in-law has curious 
views of hospitality. She doesn't ask people to 
her house because she likes them or thinks them 
pleasant acquaintances, but because they are dis- 
agreeable or disreputable or haven't anywhere 
else to go. It's a new form of philanthropy. Mr. 
Hylton invented it. 

(Verreker hursts into a shout of delighted laugh- 
ter.) 

(icily) You seem amused. 

Verreker. I am. How delicious! So that's 
why I was invited ! Because I was down on my 
luck and wasn't asked to many houses. And I 
thought it was because of my delightful society. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (venomously) You were 
certainly strangely mistaken. 

Verreker. (laughing again) So it seems. 
And that explains why all these other people are 
here I suppose? I thought they were rather a 
damaged lot. Old Bonsor, Miss Triggs, Firket, 
that appalling Mrs. Horrocks, Hylton, who's an 
excellent chap but quite mad. And you too, I 
dare say, Mrs. Eversleigh. . . . ? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I, sir! Certainly not! I 
am here because I am Lady Denison's sister-in- 
law. 

Verreker. That's no reason. Lots of people 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME, 89 

hate their sisters-in-law. 1 know 1 simply loathe 
my brothers. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. I am glad to think that 
Lady Denison is unlike you in that as in every 
respect. 

Lady Denison. Of course, Emily. I asked 
you because I like to have you here. And Mr. 
Hylton too. I must invite the people I like oc- 
casionally. 

Verreker. I see. Well, Lady Denison, I 
think it's a splendid idea of yours, far more 
amusing than the ordinary way of inviting people. 
And the more dreadful they are the more amus- 
ing it must be. Margery and I must certainly 
take to it when we have a house. 

Lady Denison. I don't see anything amusing 
in it, Mr. Verreker. In fact it's often extremely 
unpleasant and leads to most regrettable com- 
plications. 

Verreker. Such as my getting engaged to 
Margery? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (acidly) That among other 
things. 

Verreker. Do none of them know? 

Lady Denison. No. 

Verreker. Why not? They'd be awfully 
amused. 

(General is heard approaching window r. c. hum- 
ming a song.) 

By Jove, here is the General. I must tell him. 
Lady Denison. Please ! Please ! 
Verreker. Yes I must. I owe him one for 



% THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

telling jou all that about me. You owe him one 
too. He's given jou a most uncomfortable after- 
noon. 

{Enter General r. c.) 

General Bonsor. {taking out watch) Isn't 
it tea time, Lady Denison? I think so. 

Verreker. Long past. I say, General, why 
have you been telling tales about me to Lady 
Denison? 

General Bonsor. {gohhling) If it comes to 
my knowledge, sir, that a man who is staying in 
a lady's house with me is not a person whom 
otJier people wish to meet I make it a rule to in- 
form my hostess of the fact. 

Verreker. {heartily) And a very good rule 
too. Only Lady Denison doesn't ask people to her 
house whom other people wish to meet. It's 
against her principles. 

Lady Denison. {protesting) Mr. Verreker! 

General Bonsor. {gobbling again) Upon my 
word, Sir ! 

(Mrs. Horrocks and Miss Triggs enter unnoticed 
L. c. and stand listening.) 

Verreker. Lady Denison selects her visitors 
on philanthropic grounds — because they're dis- 
agreeable or disreputable or merely boring. It's 
a form of self-denial with her. That's why she 
asked you. That's why she asked me. That^s why 
she asked all of us. 

General Bonsor. What! 

Mrs. Horrocks. What! ! ! * 

Verreker. {seeing Mrs. Horrocks for the 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 91 

first time. To himself) Good Heavens! Mrs. 
Horrocks ! 

Mrs. Horrocks. (with aivful dignity) Yes, 
Sir, Mrs. Horrocks. Miss Triggs and I returned 
from our walk just in time to hear your extra- 
ordinary statement, (bleat from Miss Triggs) 
May I ask what truth, if any, it contains? 

Verreker. Really, Mrs. Horrocks, I'm very 
sorry you should have heard what I said. . . . 

Mrs. Horrocks. [sternly) Is it true, sir? 
(Verreker makes hopeless gesture, hut says noth- 
ing) Lady Denison, perhaps you will inform me? 

General Bonsor. (more in sorrow than in an- 
ger) Why was I invited here. Lady Denison? 

Miss Triggs. And I? 

Lady Denison. (completely flustered) I 
never meant you to know. I never meant Mr. 
Verreker to know. It's very unfortunate. Please 
accept my apologies all of you. I'm most dis- 
tressed this should have happened. 

Mrs. Horrocks. Then it is true! 

Miss Triggs. Really ! 

Lady Denison. (meekly)' I don't think Mr. 
Verreker need have told the General. It was most 
inconsiderate of him. But I hope you won't 
hold mc responsible. 

Miss Triggs. (icily) Will you kindly order 
the carriage to take me to the station, Lady Den- 
ison? I shall leave by the six o'clock train. 

Mrs. Horrocks. Of course you will not expect 
me to remain. 

General Bonsor. Nor me! Boring! 

Lady Denison. (much distressed) Oh need 



92 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

you all go like that? After all there's nothing so 
very dreadful in what you've heard. It was Mr. 
Hylton's idea. 

Miss Triggs. That dissenting person! I al- 
ways felt he was an impostor. He tried to make 
me believe he was a clergyman I remember. 

Lady Denison. He meant it kindly. We all 
meant it kindly. 

Mrs. Horrocks. Lady Denison, if you cannot 
understand how insulting this is to me I cannot 
make you do so. But I should have thought, con- 
sidering my birth and connections, I might have 
claimed a somewhat different treatment. The 
carriage please for the six o'clock train. 

(Stceeps out l.) 

Miss Triggs. And will you please send some 
tea to my room. I shall not come down again 
before 1 leave. 

{Exit L.) 

General Bonsor. Boring! 

{Exit L.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. This, Muriel, is what comes 
of beginning one's Charity at Home! 

CURTAIN. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 93 



ACT IV. 

Scene. — The Dining-room at Priors Ashton. A 
week has passed since Act III. There is a 
round dining-tahle about c. round which are 
sitting at dessei't Lady Denison, Yerreker, 
Margery, Hylton and Mrs. Eversleigh. Lady 
Denison faces the audience. The rest sit each 
on the other's right in the order given above. 
There is a side-board l. c. A door to Mtchen 
regions up r. The double doors to hall are 
down L. There is a large window, curtained up 
L. and another r. c. The big fireplace is r. tcith 
armchairs on either side of it. The room is 
lighted by electric lights on the walls but there 
are also shaded candles in silver candlesticks 
on the table. Silver cigar box on mantelpiece. 
When curtain rises Willi a ai is handing fruit. 

William, {to Mrs. Eversleigh) Grapes, 
madam? 

Mrs. Eversleigh. (taking some) What fine 
grapes you have this year, Muriel ! 

(William hands to others.) 

Margery. Aren't they? I took some to old 
Biddy Porter to-day. She's been ill. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Who is old Biddy Porter? 



94 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery. She lives at Ashton Parva, in one 
of those little houses before you get to the church. 
And she's had influenza so I thought it would be 
nice to take her some grapes. She was so pleased. 

Verreker. ( grimly) The gardener wasn't. 

Margery. No. Poor Thomson. He's so funny 
about the fruit. He seems to think we grow it 
entirely for ourselves. He's quite angry when I 
give any of it away. He doesn't even like my 
sending any to the cottage hospital. 

Lady Denison. You will be careful with 
Thomson, won't you, Margery. He's so easily 
offended. I remember last year when you took 
all the early peaches to the Workhoyse infirmary 
just before we were giving some dinner parties 
he nearly gave warning. And I don't want to 
lose him. He's such an excellent gardener. 

(William having finished his duties goes out r.) 

Mrs. Eversleigh. The new butler hasn't come 

yet? 

Lady Denison. No. We expect him to-mor- 
row. I do hope he'll be a success. He has the 
highest references. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. That must be very distress- 
ing to Mr. Hylton. 

Margery. Aunt Emily you're not to scratch 
Mr. Hylton. He's been working at proofs all day 
and now he wants a rest. 

Verreker. Lucky chap! 

Margery. What do you mean? 

Verreker. To have you prescribing rest for 
him. You don't prescribe much rest for me! 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 95 

Lady Denison. Has Margery been workng you 
very hard, Hugh? 

Margery. Of course not mother. Hugh's only 
talking nonsense. 

Verreker. Am I! Just you listen. This 
morning I left some soup with Mrs. Green while 
Margery was taking Biddy Porter her grapes. 
She stopped the carriage at Mrs. Green's and 
dropped me there. It was nearly half an hour 
before she came back for me and I had to hear 
the history of every disease from which the old 
lady had ever suffered and to look at her bad 
leg. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Really, Mr. Verreker! 

Verreker. Arm, then. I know it was some 
part of her poor old body though I couldn't 
recognize it. It was quite disgusting. I should 
have gone away only Mrs. Green lives four miles 
from here and I hate walking when its hot. How- 
ever the carriage came back at last and then we 
drove on to the church which Margery is decorat- 
ing for some reason or other. I think because 
the harvest has failed. There I sat in a pew and 
made a wreath of mangel-wurzels to adorn the 
font. 

Margery. Not mangel-wurzels. 

Verreker. Well, some kind of vegetable. We 
got back to lunch at last — late of course. The 
wreath took so long. And in the afternoon — 
after a brief interval of repose — I wrote letters 
on behalf of a certain Mary Gamage who wants 
to get into an orphanage at Basingstoke — which 
seems an odd taste. I wrote twenty-five of them. 



9G THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery. Only after you'd been coaxed for a 
whole quarter of an hour. You were quite cross 
about it and said you weren't a galley slave. 

Verreker. Well, I was wrong. 

Margery. You were very disagreeable. 

Verreker. I know. I hoped we were going to 
quarrel. But you wouldn't. That's the worst of 
Margery. She never will quarrel. 

Hylton. It's a good fault. 

Verreker. Is it! However I wrote twenty- 
five letters on behalf of Mary Gamage as I said. 
And I've got seventy-five still to do. They were 
to ask subscribers to the orphanage for their 
votes. I gather some five hundred other people 
are busily engaged in writing the same number 
of letters on behalf of their orphans and the sub- 
scribers in common politeness will have to write 
to the whole five hundred of us to say they have 
given their votes to the 501st. They can only vote 
once. The mere expenditure in postage stamps 
would suffice to endow another orphanage, not 
to speak of the waste of my time and their's. 
Moreover I'm given to understand that this ritual 
is gone through every time the orphanage has a 
vacancy and that there are more than a hundred 
orphanages similarly conducted in this distracted 
country. Who ever heard of such tomfoolery ! 

Margery. It is troublesome of course. But I 
don't see how else you could settle whom to let in. 
There are so many orphans. 

Verreker. You could put the names in a hat, 
shake it and take the one that fell out first. 

Lady Denison. But would people subscribe 
to orphanages if they didn't get a vote? 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 97 

VerreevER. What on earth do they want votes 
for? 

Lady Denison. In order that their orphans 
may get in instead of the others. 

Verreker. Another illusion gone! I used to 
think charitable people gave their money because 
they were genuinely anxious to do good. I now 
find on the highest authority that they do it to 
keep out each other's orphans. Margery I won't 
write another letter. 

Margery. Oh, Hugh, how horrid of you. If 
you don't / shall have to do them and you said 
you would. 

Verreker. Very well, I suppose I must as I 
said so. But my faith in charity is shattered. 
Nothing survives a closer acquaintance. Not even 
orphanages. 

Margery. How absurd you are, Hugh. You 
know you only talk like that because you think 
it will shock us. And it doesn't shock us one bit. 
We only think it silly. 

Verreker. As you please, dear. But if that's 
the only way in which orphans can be kept alive 
I think you'd better drown them — and I've been 
an orphan myself. 

Lady Denison. Do you mind talking about 
something else for a moment Hugh? I think I 
hear William with the coffee and he mightn't 
like it. 

(William enters r. and hands coffee.) 

Hylton. (to Mrs. Eversleigh) Did you get 
as far as Croome this afternoon, Mrs. Eversleigh ? 



9S THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Yes. Poor Lady Seath- 
waite is still in bed. But the doctor says she 
may be able to come down on Monday. 

Verreker. What's the matter with Lady 
Seathwaite? 

(Mrs. Eversleigh ignores him.) 

Lady Denison. She has a bad attack of gout. 
She has it every autumn. 

Verreker. I see. Over-eats herself. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Mr. Verreker will you 
kindly remember that Lady Seathwaite is a friend 
of mine? And that I do not care to hear her 
insulted? 

Verreker. I'd no intention of insulting her, 
Mrs. Eversleigh. It was only a suggestion to 
account for her indisposition. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. A most uncalled-for sugges- 
tion. 

Verreker. Very well. I withdraw it. I dare- 
say she eats too little and suffers from poverty 
of the blood. Margery shall drive me over to- 
morrow afternoon and we'll ask her which it is. 

Margery. Hugh, Hugh, you're not to laugh 
at Aunt Emily. She doesn't like it. And we can't 
possibly go over to-morrow afternoon because 
you're coming with me to tea at the Vicarage. 

Verreker. Let's skip the tea. 

Margery. Certainly not. The Willises would 
be dreadfully hurt if we didn't go. And its so 
unkind to disappoint people. 

{The electric light suddenly goes out, leaving only 
the candles on the table alight.) 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 99 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Good Heavens! What's 
that? 

Lady Denison. (calmly) Only the electric 
light, Emily. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Only the electric light! 

Lady Denison. It does happen sometimes. 
You see Basset, who looks after the dynamo, 
isn't really an electrician. He was a footman. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Then why does he look after 
the dynamo? 

Lady Denison. Well, he was out of a place — 

Mrs. Eversleigh. Muriel ! 

Lady Denison. What's the matter now, Em- 
ily? Nothing else has happened, has it? 

He was out of a place as I said. He had been 
second footman at the Fox-Wilkinsons' at Abbots 
Ashton. But I'm afraid he sometimes took more 
to drink than was good for him. At last he was 
found one day after luncheon in the dining-room 
quite intoxicated. So they had to send him away. 
When Margery heard of it she wanted to have him 
here — under Soames. But Soames didn't seem 
to like the idea. He was quite indignant about 
it in fact. So as the electric light was being put 
in just then Margery said that Basset could be 
taught to look after the engine. But he's not 
very skilful as yet so the light sometimes goes out 
for hours at a time. I hope it isn't going to to- 
night. 

{The light comes on again, goes out, comes on. 
Finally remains steady.) 

That's better Now it's gone again. . . . 

That's right! 



100 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Mrs. Eversleigh. {acidly) I thought you 
had given up engaging your servants on altruis- 
tic principles, Muriel? 

Lady Denison. So I have. But I couldn't 
send Basset aicay, could I? T don't think he 
could get another place. And besides he's really 
wonderfully improved. He hardly ever takes too 
much now. Shall we go? (rises) 

(Lady Denison, Mrs. Eversleigh^ and Margery 
go out L. Fylton holding open door. Verre- 
KER strolls to fireplace and leans against man- 
telpiece, stretches himself. Hylton moves to 
Lady Denison^s seat.) 

Verreker. Lady Denison is the most absurd 
person in the world. 

Hylton. Is she? 

Verreker. Yes. But good people always are 
more or less absurd, aren't they? 

Hylton. {smiling) The children of this 
world are wiser than the children of light cer- 
tainly. 

Verreker. Exactly. And she'll never learn 
wisdom now, poor lady. She's listened to you too 
long. She'll never get the poison out of her sys- 
tem. 

Hylton. She dimissed Soames. 

Verreker. But keeps Basset. You've won 
after all. Cigar? {brings silver hox from man- 
telpiece) 

Hylton Thanks, {they light up) 

Verreker. Poor Mrs. Eversleigh ! How she 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 101 

loathes me! She'll never forgive me for having 
proposed to Margery. 

Hylton. It doesn't matter. YouVe Lady Den- 
ison on your side. 

Verreker. Thanks to you. 

Hylton. I don't think /'d much to do with it. 

Verreker. I know better. If it hadn't been 
for you Lady Denison would be still unreconciled. 
I've no illusions on that point. 

Hylton. Miss Denison would have made your 
peace for you. 

Verreker. Yes. Margery has been a brick 
all through. She always would be. But you 
backed her up. I wonder why. {pause) Why 
w^as it? 

Hylton. {hesitates) Perhaps I felt I owed 
you some amends for the way I behaved when I 
first heard of your engagement. 

Verreker. I don't know. Your attitude was 
a perfectly reasonable one. It was a most rid- 
iculous engagement for Margery. Is in fact. 

Hylton. Oh no. 

Verreker. Oh yes. I am a young man with 
a discreditable past and no future. Margery will 
have a good deal of money one day. Considered 
as a match for her its preposterous. 

Hylton. {shrugs) I wasn't thinking of 
money. 

Verreker. You never are, my dear fellow. 

Hylton. {laughing) Besides you won't be 
able to squander Miss Denison's money even if 
you want to. It'll all be tied up strictly in trust. 

Verreker. Yes — I shall be like a dog with a 



102 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT* HOME. 

biscuit perpetually on his nose and nobody ever 
saying " paid for." 

Hylton. (laughing) Something like that. 

Verreker. However I didn't propose to Mar- 
gery for her money, so I don't know that that 
matters. 

Hylton. Of course not. You proposed to her 
because you loved her. Because you couldn't 
help seeing how good and unselfish and noble she 
is. 

Verreker. (raises his eyebrows.) 

Hylton. (enthusiastic) No one could help 
loving Miss Denison. She has all sweet and love- 
able qualities. She is the most wonderfully good 
woman I've ever known. 

Verreker. Yes. — It's a great pity. 

Hylton. What do you mean? 

Verreker. People really ought to have some 
redeeming vices, don't you think? But Margery's 
quite impeccable, poor dear. I remember I 
spoke to her about it before I ever thought of 
proposing to her. 

Hylton. Scoffer ! 

Verreker. Not at all Margery's simply 

riddled with philanthrophy and unselfishness and 
the Devil knows what. / call it morbid. I don't 
believe she ever thinks of herself at all. I've never 
known anyone like her before. I don't believe 
there is anyone like her. 

Hylton. (quite simply) Miss Denison has a 
curiously perfect character. 

Verreker. That's what worries me. 

Hylton. Tck ! 



t-HE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 103 

Verreker. It^s all very well for you, Hylton. 
YouVe not got to live up to it. And if you had 
I daresay you wouldn't mind. You're a bit of 
a saint yourself. But for a healthy easy-going 
mortal like me it's rather alarming. 

Hylton. You'll get used to it. 

Verreker. You think so? 
• Hylton. Yes — with Miss Denison's help. 
Why she's helped you already more than you 
realize. You're a different man from what you 
were a week ago. 

Verreker. I know. That's what's so annoy- 
ing. Fancy me distributing soup to old ladies 
and soliciting votes for a blighted orphan! It's 
simply disgusting. 

Hylton. Nonsense, my dear fellow. You like 
it really, you know. 

Verreker. I beg your pardon ! My whole soul 
— I think that's what you call it? — revolts against 
it. But I do it. That's the miracle. — And I did 
think the age of miracles was past ! 

Hylton. {enthusiastic) The age of miracles 
will never pass while there are men and women 
like Miss Denison iu the world ! 
(Pause.) 

Verreker. (looking at him keenly) You're a 
queer chap, Hylton. 

Hylton. Why ? 

Verreker. Nothing. . . . 

Hylton. Yes. Faith can move mountains, 
now as always. And Miss Denison has faith, faith 
in goodness and in truth and in self-surrender. 
She'll convert you yet. 



104 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Verreker. {firmly) No! 

Hylton. She will. You laugh at Altruism 
now. In a year you'll be an altruist yourself. 
And it's your marriage that will have done it. 

Verreker. So that^s why you approve of this 
absurd marriage. 

Hylton. Yes: It's to save a soul. 

Verreker. More philanthropy ! 

Hylton. (nods) More philanthrophy. This 
marriage is going to be the making of you. It 
will help you to find yourself. Your true self. 

Verreker. (sardonically) I should have 
thought I'd managed that. 

Hylton. You're wrong. Your real self is not 
the healthy easy-going person you talk of. It's 
the strong, self-restrained, self-denying man, Miss 
Denison will put in his place. There's nothing the 
love of a really good woman can't do for a man. 
It brings out all that is fine in his nature and 
drives out all that is base. That is what your 
marriage will do for you! 

Verreker. The deuce it will ! 

Hylton. {collapsing from his enthusiasm un- 
der this cold douche) But I must apologise for 
talking to you like this. I'm afraid it bores you. 

Verreker. Not a bit. I like it. 

Hylton. {shaking his head) No. 

Verreker. Yes, I do. In fact I'm rather in- 
terested in the Psychology of Benevolence just 
now. Please go on. 

Hylton. (laughing) "Not to-night. Besides 
we ought to be moving, (rises) 

Verreker. Perhaps so. (rises, pause) Will 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 105 

Margery always be as good as she is now, do you 
suppose ? 

Hilton, {unhesitatingly) I'll stake my life 
on it. 

Verreker. No chance of her outgrowing it? 

Hylton. None ! 

Verreker. Ah ! I hoped she might 

Well, Hylton, I'm glad to have had this chat with 
you. You reall}' are a good chap' you know. And 
if you can go on being friends with a sweep like 
me I shall be grateful. 

Hylton. I think I shall manage that. 

.Verreker. {half to himself) I'm not so sure. 

{Enter Margery l.) 

Margery. You rude people! You've stayed 
much too long over your cigars. How is poor 
William to clear away? 

Verreker. Can't he do that to-morrow morn- 
ing? 

Margery. That shows how much you know 
about managing a household! 

Hylton. We were just coming, Miss Denison. 

Margery. You're too late now. Mother's gone 
to bed. She's tired. And Aunt Emily's going too. 
She's cross. And so am I. I'm offended. 

Verreker. Stay five minutes. Sit down here. 

Margery. No ! 

Verreker. Yes. {puts her gently in his own 
chair. He sits on arm of armchair) And give 
me a cigarette. 

Margery. Ought you to smoke any more? 

Verreker. No. But I will, {does so) 



106 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery. I've been getting some more letters 
done for Mary Gamage. 

Verreker. That infernal orphan ! 

Margery. Hush! So you won't have quite 
seventy-five more to write. 

Verreker. Thank heaven ! 

Margery. I think you might get up and do a 
few before breakfast to-morrow, just to show your 
gratitude? I'll help. I should like to get them 
all off before we go to the Vicarage. 

Verreker. Margery, I refuse! 

Margery. Very well. But you're very foolish. 
Before breakfast is the nicest part of the day at 
this time of year. You lazy people who don't 
come down till half-past nine don't know what 
you're missing. 

Verreker. We'll take your word for it. 

Margery. Will you come to tea at the Mack- 
worths' on Friday, Mr. Hylton? 

Hylton. Certainly if you like. 

Margery. You must come too, Hugh. 

Verreker. All right. Who are the Mack- 
worths? 

Margery. They live in a funny little house in 
the village. Old Mrs. Mackworth's very deaf and 
he can't hear much either so they don't have many 
visitors. It's so tiring talking to deaf people, 
isn't it? One has to shout so. But I always try 
to go at least once when we're down here. It 
cheers them up I think. I'm glad you're both 
coming. 

(Verreker groans. She rises.) 

And now I really must go to bed. Good-night. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 107 

Verreker. No. Stop a bit longer. 

Margery. Can't. 

Verreker. Yes, you can. Just till I've fin- 
ished this. Besides I've something rather par- 
ticular to say to you. 

Hylton. {rising) In that case perhaps I'd 
better retire to the library. 

Verreker. Do. I'll be with you in two 
minutes. 

{Exit Hylton l. Pause.) 

Margery. Well? What is this important 
thing you've got to say to me? 

Verreker. I'll tell you. {jmuse. Looks at her 
fixedly for a moment or two) By Jove, you are 
pretty, Margery. 

Margery. I don't think that's very important. 

Verreker. Then you're very much mistaken! 
. . . However that's not what I had to say. 
(pause) Margery, I want you to break off our en- 
gagement. 

Margery. Hugh ! 

Verreker. My dear, I don't like saying it and 
I hope you don't like hearing it — though I don't 
want it to hurt you too much either. But I've 
been thinking things over and I'm quite sure we 
two oughtn't to marry. 

Margery. Why not? 

Verreker. For lots of reasons. I'm not good 
enough for you, Margery, and that's the long and 
short of it. 

Margery. What nonsense! 

Verreker. It's not nonsense at all unfortu- 



108 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

nately. It's a painful truth. Mrs. Eversleigh was 
right. I ought never to have proposed to you. 

Margery, [sadly] Do you mean you don't 
love me, Hugh, as you thought you did? 

Verreker. No. I don't mean that. I love you 
as much as ever, more perhaps, now that I'm go- 
ing to lose you. But on every ground except love 
I'm quite unfit to marry you. 

Margery. Surely love is enough? 

Verreker. No, it isn't. Margery, let's face 
facts and not shirk them as everyone else seems to 
do. Marriage isn't a thing to be romantic about. 
It lasts too long. 

Margery. Hugh ! 

Verreker. My dear, it may last forty years. 
Surely that's long enough in all conscience. Very 
well then. As one marries for a long time one 
should choose carefully, reasonably. One mustn't 
be carried away by passion. Passion's a great 
thing in marriage but commonsense is a greater. 
Now what sort of a life should we make of it to- 
gether if we married, you and I ? Why, my dear, 
we've not an idea or a taste in common. Every- 
thing you say makes me laugh and almost every- 
thing I think would make you blush. It's simply 
absurd for a girl like you to marry a fellow like 
me. Let's say so franky and end it. 

Margery, (puzzled) But, Hugh, you liked 
being engaged to me at first, didn't you? Why 
have you changed your mind? Have / done any- 
thing? 

Verreker. No, dear. You've been absolutely 
sweet and good, as you always would be. Only 
you're too good and that's all about it. 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 109 

Margery. Now you're laughing at me. 

Verreker. I never was further from laughter 
in my life. I say you're too good and I mean it. 
You look on life as a moral discipline. I look on 
it as a means to enjoyment. You think only of 
doing what you imagine to be right. I think only 
of getting what I know to be pleasant. They call 
it incompatibility of temper in the Law Courts, I 
believe. 

Margery. I don't understand you, Hugh. 
Sometimes you seem quite serious 'and then you 
say something horrid that spoils it all. 

Verreker. I know, dear. You don't under- 
stand me and it's just as well you don't. But that 
makes the idea of marriage between us rather 
ridiculous, doesn't it? The sort of man you ought 
to marry is Hylton — who by the way is over head 
and ears in love with you. You should have 
heard his eulogies over you ten minutes ago. He 
was simply lyrical ! Yes, you must marry Hylton. 
Will you? 

Margery, [half laughing, half crying) I am 
still engaged to you, dear, so far. 

Verreker. I'll release you. And you really 
will be happy with Hylton. He's a first-rate chap. 
Promise me that when you've stopped mourning 
for me, — say in about a fortnight's time — you'll 
seriously consider the possibilities of Hylton. 

Margery. Are you really heartless, Hugh, or 
do you only pretend to be? 

Verreker. I don't know. Ask Hylton. 

Margery, (sadly) I thought we'd been so 
happy together since we've been engaged. 



no THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Verreker. (heartily) So we have, dear — in 
spite of Mary Gamage. But then we've only been 
engaged a week. And I feel years older for it. 

Margery, (hurt) Seriously, Hugh? 

Verreker. I'm serious enough. You think 
everybody can be as self-denying as you are, 
Margery. You're wrong. Some people are born 
self-denying just as other people are born self- 
indulgent. I belong to the latter variety. 

Margery. But you may change? 

Verreker. "Men don't change^ Margery. They 
repent but they don't reform. And so our engage- 
ment has been a mistake. It's my fault I know. 
I ought to have thought of all this before I asked 
you to marry me. But you were so pretty and — 
w^ell I didn't. Will you forgive me? 

Margery. Of course I forgive you, Hugh. It's 
not your fault. You thought you loved me and 
you asked me to marry you. Now you find you 
don't and you ask me to release you. You've been 
quite kind and straight-forward. There's nothing 
to forgive. 

Verreker. My dear, my dear, it's not that. I 
loved you before. I love you still. I believe I 
shall always love you — so long as I don't marry 
you. But married we should be miserable. 

Margery, [gently) I don't think I should be 
miserable. 

Verreker. (hrisJdy) I know / should. At 
first I should be as unselfish as the deuce just to 
oblige you. But after a bit I shouldn't be able to 
stand it and I should strike. And then you'd be 
disappointed and I should be disagreeable and 



THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. Ill 

our marriage would become a tragedy. I don't 
want that to happen. Vd rather you found me 
out now while you're still fond of me than later 
when you had come to hate me. 

Margery. I should never hate you, Hugh. 

Verreker. You couldn't help yourself, my dear. 
An unhappy marriage would demoralize even 
you. They say some forms of suffering ennoble 
people, and putting up with what one doesn't like 
is supposed to be good for the character — though 
I'm sure I don't know why. But an unhappy mar- 
riage never ennobled man or woman. It makes 
them peevish and unreasonable. It sours their 
tempers and ruins their digestions. Mi/ parents 
didn't get on together, and I know. If the par- 
sons cared two straws about morality instead of 
thinking only of their dogmas, they'd make divorc- 
ing one's wife as easy as dismissing one's cook. 
Easier. 

Margery. Hugh ! 

Verreker. They would! When married peo- 
ple don't hit it off they jar. There's no middle 
course. And when the jarring has gone on for a 
certain length of time it gets past bearing. Hu- 
man nerves won't stand it. Nothing will enable 
them to stand it. Not love, nor religion, nor all 
the seven deadly virtues. Socrates was a good 
man but he made his wife pretty unhappy. 

Margery, [sadly) And you think I should 
make you unhappy? 

Verreker. (hrisldy) I'm sure of it. So let's 
behave accordingly. (rising) Come Margery, 
say you release me and get it over. 



112 THE CHARITY THAT BEGAN AT HOME. 

Margery, (slowly) Very well. If you really 
wish it . . . you're sure you do wish it? 

Verreker. Quite. Thanks, dear. You've be 
haved like a trump as you always do. And I 
think I must kiss you good-bye. (does so ten- 
derly) Don't say anything to the others till 
after I've left. I rather dread Mrs. Eversleigh's 
unconcealed satisfaction. I shall go to-morrov/. 

Margery. Very well. If you'd rather not. 

Verreker. (looking at her half ironically) 
I'm afraid you think I've been a selfish beast about 
this? 

Margery, (wistfully) A little selfish, per- 
haps. 

Verreker. You're wrong. For the first and I 
hope the last time in my life I've done an unselfish 
action. I'm a pauper, you know, and you're some- 
thing of an heiress. And I've given you up with- 
out compensation. It's rather to my credit. 

Margery. Only because you wouldn't be 
happy. 

Verreker. No. Because yoti wouldn't be 
happy. / should have been all right. But I had 
to put it the other way or you wouldn't have let 
me go. / should have given up philanthrophy 
after the first six weeks and had no end of a good 
time. But you'd have been wretched. We've 
done the right thing, (rising) And you won't 
forget about Hylton will you? Shall we go in? 
(he goes l. and opens door for her. They go out 
as curtain falls) 

CURTAIN. 



SEND FOR A NEW 1 DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 



{Frenches Standard Drama Continued from 2d page of Cover.) 



VOL. XLI. 
321 The Pirate's Leescy 
Z'i-2 The Chjireoal Burner 
3*i3 Adelgitba 
3'24 Senor Valiunte 
8'i5 Forest Rose 
3S8 Duke's Daughter 
3^1 Camilla's Husband 
328 Pure Gold 

VOL. XLII. 
32» Ticket ol Leave Man 

330 Fooi's Revenge 

331 O'Neil the Great 

332 Handy Andy 

3;« Pirate of the Isles 
33* f anchon 

335 Little Barefoot 

336 Wild Irish Girl 

VOL. XLIIL 
SST Pearl of Savoy 
3.iii Dead Heart 

339 Ten Nighu in a Bar-room 

340 Dumb Boy of Manchester 

341 Belphegof theMounteb'k 
3+2 Cricket on the Hearth 
343 Printer's Devil 

844 Meg's Diversion 



VOL. XLIV. 
;545 Drunkard's Doom 
346 Chininey Corner 
H-, Fifteen Yearsof a Drunk- 

348 No Thoroughfare fard's 

349 Peep O' Day l_Life 

350 Everybody's Friend 

351 Gen. Grant 

362 Katlileeu Mavoumoeh 

VOL. XLV. 

363 Nick Whiffles 

354 Fruits of the Wine Cup 

355 Drunkard's Warning 

356 Temperance Doctor 

357 Aunt Dinah. 

■.ibS Widow Freeheart 

359 Frou Frou 

360 Long Strike 

VOL. XLVr. 

361 Lancers 
36i Lu. ille 

363 Randall's Thumb 

364 Wicked World 

365 Two Orphans 

366 Ciilleen Bawn 

.%7 'Twixt Axe and Crown 
363 Lady Clancarthy 



VOL. XLVIL 

369 Saratoga 

370 Never Too Late to Mend 

371 Lily of France 

372 Led Astray 

373 Henry V 

374 Unequal Match 
i75 May or Dolly's Delui 

376 AUatoona 
VOL. XLVin. 

377 Enoch Arden 

378 Under the Gas Light 
179 Daniel Rochat 
$80 Caste 

381 School 

382 Home 

383 David Garrick 

384 Ours 

VOL. XLIX. 
:85'Social Glass 
386 Daniel Druce 
!87 Two Roses 
388 Adrit'une 
189 The Bells 
390 Uncle 
',91 Court.-hip 
J92 Not S[ith a Fool 



VOL. L. 

393 Fine Feathers 

394 Prompter's Box 

395 Iron Master 

396 Engaged 

.97 Pygmalion h G»}»tea 

398 l.eab 

:!99 Scrap of Paper 

400 Lost in Lonilsn 

VOL. LL 

401 Octoroon 

402 Confederate Spy 

403 Mariner's Reti»r« 

404 Ruined by Drink 

405 Dreams 

406 M. P. 

407 War 

408 Birth 
VOL. LU. 

409 Nightingale 

Progress 

1 Play 

412 Midnight Charge 

413 Confidential Clerk 

414 Snowball 

415 Our Regitnent 

416 .Married for Money 
Hainlet in Three Aot« ' 
Guttle & Gulpit 



FRENCH'S INTERNATIONAL COPYRIGHTED EDITION 
OF THE WORKS OF THE BEST AUTHORS. 

The follbwing very successful plays have just been issued at 25 cents per copy. 



A PAIR OF SPECTACLES. Comedy in 3 Acts 
by Syd.ney Grundy, author of "Sowing the Wind," 
Ac. 8 male, 3 female characters. 

A FOOL'S PARADISE. An original play In 3 
Acts by SvDNKY Grunhy, anthor of "Sowing the 
Wind," Ac. 5 male, 4 female characters. 

THE SILVER SHIELD. An original comedy in 
3 Acts by Sypnkv Grunoy, author of ''Sowingthe 
Wind," &c. 5 male, 3 female characters. 

THE GLASS OP FASHIOM. An original com- 
edy in 4 Acts by Sypnkv Ori;st)Y, author of "Sowing 
the Wind," &c^ 5 male. 5 female characters. 



THE BALLOON. Farcical comedy in 3 Act* by J. 

H, Darni-kY and Manville Fknn. 6 male, 4 female 

characters. 
MISS CLEOPATRA. Farce in 3 AcU by Akthur 

Shiki.ev. 7 male, 3 fe/nale characters. 
SIX PEBSONS. Comedy Act by I. Zang-will. 

1 male, I female character. 
FASHIONABLE INTELLIGENCE. Comedi- 
etta in 1 Act by Pebcy Fkndall. 1 male, 1 female 

character. 
HIGHLAND LEGACY. Comedy in 1 Act by 

Brandon Thomus, author of "Charley's Annt." 

5 male, 2 female characters. 



Contents of Catalogue which is sent Free. 



Amateur Drama 

Amateur Operas 

Articles Needed by Amateurs 

Art of Scene Painting 

Baker's Reading Club 

Beards, Whiskers, Mustaches, etc. 

Bound Sets of Plays 

Bulwer Lytton's Plays 

Burlesque" Dramas 

Burnt Cork 

Cabman's Story 

Carnival of Authors 

Charade Plays 

Children's Plays 

Comic Dramas for Male Characters 

only 
Costume Books 
Crape Hair 
Cumberland Edition 
Darkey Dramas 
Dramas for Boys 
Drawing-room Monologues 
Elocution, Reciters and Speakers 
EtUopian Dramas 



Kvenine's Entertainment 

F.niry and Home Plays 

French's Costumes 

French's Editiotis 

French's Italian Operas 

French's F'arlor Comedies 

French's Standard and Minor Drama 

French's Standard and Minor Drama, 

bound 
French's Scenes for Amateurs 
Frobisher's lopular Recitals 
Grand Army Dramas 
(^uide Book's for Anrntetirs 
Guide to Selecting Pkiys 
Hints on Costumes 
Home Plays for Ladies 
Irish Plays 
Irving's Plays 
.Juvenile Plays 
Make-Up Book 
Mttke-Up Box 
Mock Trial 

Mrs. Jarley's W^ai Works 
New Plays 



New Recitation Books 

Nigger Jokes and Stump Speecke* 

Parlor M.agic 

Parlor Pantomimes 

Pieces of Pleasantry 

Poems for Recitations 

Plays for Male Characters •sly 

Round Games 

Scenery 

Scriptural and Historical Dramw 

SeBsation Dramas 

Serio-Comic Dramas 

Shadow Pantomimes 

Shakespeare's Plays for Amatears 

Shakespeare's Plays 

Stanley's Dwarfs 

Spirit Giwn 

Tableaux Vivants ' 

Talma Actor's Art 

Temperance Plavs 

Vocal Music of Jihakespeare's Plays 

Webster's Acting Edition 

Wigs, etc. 



{French's Minor Drama Continued from 4th page of Cover.) 



'OL. XLI. 

321 Adventures of a Love 

322 ' ost Child [Letter 

323 Court Cards 
.'124 Coi and Box 
325 Fortv Winks 

396 Wonderful Woman 

397 Curious Case 

328 Tweedleton'i Tail Coat 



VOL. XLir. 

329 As Like as Two Peas 

330 Presumptive Evidence 

331 Happy Band 
.332 Pinafore 
.333 Mock Trial 

3.34 My Uncle's Will 
335 Happy Pair 
3:36 My Turn Next 



VOL. XLIH. 
337 Sunset 

.338For Half a Million 
.339 C-vble Car 
:140 Early Bird 
.341 Alumni Play 

342 Show of Hand* 

343 Barbara 

344 Who's Wto 



VOL. XLIV. 

346 Who's To Win HI* 
.346 Which i. Whioh 

347 Cup of Tea 

3 i!i Sarah's Voung M»« 

349 He;irts 

350 In Honor Bound [Law 
361 Freezing a Moth«r-lB- 
352 My Lord in Livery 



SAMUEL FRENCH, 26 West 22d St., New York City. 



}3^ N^.^ »Dd Explicit Descrijptive Catalogue Mailed Free on Request. 



FRENCH'S MIXOR DRAMA. 



Price 1 5 Cents each.— Bound \ 



LIBRftRY OF CONGRESS 



;'ep- 



VOL. I. 

1 The Irish Attorney 

2 Bo«ts Ht tl\e Swan 

3 How to I'ay the Rent 

4 The Loan of a Lover 

6 The Dead Shot 
( His Last Let;! 

7 The Inri^ibie Prince 

8 The OoIJen Farmer 

VOL. IL 

9 Pride of llie ivUrliet 
I« Used Up 

1 1 The Irish Tntir 

12 Tlie Barrack Room 

13 Lulie the La lor^r 

14 Beauty and the Beast 

15 St. Patrick's Hve 

16 Captain of the Watch 

VOL. 11 L 
n The Secret [p 

18 VThite Horse of the P. 

19 The Jacobite 

20 The Bottle 

21 Box and Coi 

22 Bamboozling 

23 Widow's Victim 

24 Robert .\I icaire 

VOL IV. 

25 Secret .-service 
2« Ornnilnis 
27 Irish LI,)Q 
2«Maidof Croissy 
a^-The Old Guard 

30 Raising the Wind 

31 Slasher and Cr:isher 
88 Naval E igigements 

Vt)L. V. 

33 Coeknies in California 

34 Who Spe.iks First 

36 Bombast^s Furioso 

39 Maclieih Travestie 

37 Irish Afu'i.-vss idor . 
;-l8 Delicate Ground 
.■^9 The Weathercock [Oold 

40 All that Wlitteri is Mot 

VOL. VI. 
tl Griinshaw, Bagshaw aad 

Bradshaw 
♦2 Rougii Diamond 
13 Bloomer Costume 
i4 Two Bounycastles 
»5 B irn to 'jrood Luck 
lb K.is6 in the Dark [jurer 
47 Twould Puzzle a Con- 
18 Kil! or Cure 

VOL. VII. 
49 Box and Cox Married and 
60 St. Cupid [Settled 

51 Qo-to-hed Tom 

52 "The Lawyers 

53 Jack Sheppard 

64 The Toodles 

65 The Mobeap 
bi Ladies Beware 

VOL. vm. 

57 Morning Call 
68 Popping the QuestioE 
.59 Deaf «s a Post 
60 New Footman 
81 Pleasant Neighbor 
62 Paddy the Piper 
S3 Brian O'Linn 
6k Irish Assurance 
VOL. IX. 

65 Tea-ijttation 

66 Paddv Carey 

67 Two Gregiriea 

68 King Charii.mg 

69 Pin;a-hon-tas 

70 Clockmaker's K ♦ 

71 Married Rake 

72 Love and Murder 

VOL. X. 

73 Ireland and America 

74 Pretty Piece of Business 

75 Irish Broom-maker 
7« To Paris and Back 

Fire Pounds 

77 That Blessed Baby 

78 Our Gal 
711 Swiss Cf'ttage 
80 Young Widow 



VOL. XI. 

81 O'Flannigan and the Fa( 
b2 Irish Post [ries 

83 .My -Veighbor's Wife 

84 Irish Tiger 

85 P. P., or Man and Tiger 

86 To Oblige Benson 

87 State Secrets 

88 Irish Y.-inkee 
VOL. XU. 

89 A Good Fellow 

90 Cherry and Fair Star 
9) Gale Breeiely 

92 Our Jemiuiy 

93 Miller's Maid 

94 Awkward Arrival 

95 Crossing the Liue 

96 Conjugal Lesson 

VOL. xai. 

97 My Wife's .Mirror 

98 Life in New York 

99 Middy Ashore 

100 Crown Prince 

101 Two Quesns 

102 Thumping Lt^acv 

103 Uiitinished '^-'utlein au 

104 House Dog 
VOL. XIV. 

05 The De non Lover , 
106 Matrimony 

07 In aad Out of Place 
108 1 Dine with .My .Vljther 

09 Hi-a-wa-tha 
110 Andy Blake 

Luve' in '76 [ties 

112 Romance under Difficul- 
VOL. XV. 

113 One Coat f)r ^ Suits 

114 A Decided Case 

115 Daughter [no ritv 

116 No; or, the Glorious Mi- 
ll? C'lroaer's Inquisition 

118 Love in HumUle Life 

119 Family Jars 

120 Personation 
VOL. XVI. 

121 Children in the Wood 

122 Winning a Husband 

123 Dav After the Fair 

124 Mak.! Your Wills 

125 Rendezvous 

126 My Wife's Husband 
27 Monsieur Tonson 
98 lllujtrious Stranger 

VOL. XVII. 
129 Mischief-Making [Mi nes 
"30 A Live Woman ia th 

il The Corsair 
1.32 Shylock 
133 Spoiled Child 
1,^4 F,vil Eye 

135 Nothing to Nurse 

136 Wanted s Widow 
VOL. XVIIL 

137 Lottery Ticket 
1.38 Fortune's Frolic 

139 Is he Jealous? 

140 M.arried Bachelor 

141 Husband at Sight 

142 Irishman in London 

143 Ani nal Magnetism 

144 Highways and By-W ays 
VOL. XIX. 

145 Columbus 

146 Harlequin Bluebeard 

147 Ladies at Home 

148 Phenomenon in a Smock 
Frock 

149 Comedy and Tragedy 

150 Opposite Neighbors 

151 Dutchman's Ghost 

152 Persecuted Dutchman 
VOL. XX. 

1 sn Musard Ball 
154 Great Tragic Revival 
for|l55 High Low Jack * Game 

156 A Gentleman from Ire 

157 Tom and Jerry [lanr 

158 Village Lawyer 

159 Captain's not .\-ml8s 

160 Amateurs and Actors 



1 V( 

181 Promol 

162 A Fas 

163 Mrs. C 

164 Shakes 
166 Nrptur 
166 Ladv u 
'.67 Take 

168 Irish V 

VG 

169 Yankee Peddler 

170 Hiram Hireout 

171 Double-Bedded Room 
178 The Drama Defended 

173 Vermont Wool Dealer 

174 Ebenezer Venture [tti 

175 Principles from Charac 
I7« Lady of the Lake (Trav) 

Vol. xxiu. 

177 Mad Dogs 

178 Barney tlie Baron 

179 Swiss Swains 

180 Bnchelor's Bedroom 

181 A Roland for an Oliver 

182 More Bli/nders than One 

183 Dumb Belle 
1»4 Limt-rick buy 

VOL. XXIV. 

165 Nature and Philosophy 

186 Teddy the Tiler 

187 Sperlre Bridegroom 

188 NIatteo Falcone 
H9 >unv Lind 

190 Two'Buiiards 

191 Happy .\lau 

192 Betsv" Baker 

Vol. x.xv. 

193 No. 1 Round the Corner 

1 94 Teddy Roe 

195 Object of Interest 
1-6 Mv Fellow Clerk 
197 Bengal Tiger 

I'^S Laughing Hyena 

199 The Victor Vanquished 

■200 Our Wife 

VOL. XXVL 

201 My Husband's Mirror 

202 Yankee Land 

203 Norah Creina 

204 (iood for Nothing 

205 The First Night 

206 The Eton Boy 

207 Wandering Minstrel 

208 Wanted, 1000 Milliners 

VOL. xxvn. 

209 Poor Pilcoddy 

210 The Mummy [Glasse-: 

211 Don't Forget your Opera 

212 Love in Livery 

213 Anthony and Cleop atra 
V'14 Trying It On ^■'*^* 

215 Stage Struck Yankee 

216 Y.mng Wife 4 Old Um- 

brella 

VOL. xxvnr 

217 Crinoline 

218 A Family Falling 

219 AdoptedChild ' 

220 Turned Heads 

•>21 A Match in the Dark 

222 Advice to Husbands 

223 Siampfe Twin? 

224 .Sent to the Tower 

VOL. XXIX. 

225 Somebody Else 

2 6 Ladies' Battle 

227 *rt of Acting 

228 The Lady of the Lions 

229 The Rights of Man 
2.30 Mv Husband's Ghost 

231 Two Can Play at that 

Game 

232 Fighting by Proxy 

VOL XXX. 

233 Unprotected Female 
2.34 Pet of the Petticoats 

235 Forty and Fifty [book 

236 Who Stole the Pocket- 

237 My Son Diann [sion 

238 Unwarrantable Intra- 
2,39 Mr. and Mrs. White 
240 A Quiet Family 




014 676 219 41 



249 Dr. Dil worth 

250 Out to Nurse 

251 A Lucky Hit 

252 The Dowager 

2.53 Metamora (Burlesque) 
264 Dreams of Delusion 

255 The Shaker Lovers 

256 Ticklish Times 

VOL. XXXIII. 
■^67 20 Minutes with a Tiger 
258 Miralda; or, the Justice 

of Tacon 
269 A Soldier's CourUhip - 

260 Servants by Legacy 

261 Dying for Love 

262 Alarming Sacrifice 

263 Valet de Shhm 

264 Nicholas Nickleby 

VOL. XXXIV. 

265 The Last of the Pigtails 

266 King Rene's Daughter 

267 The Grotto Nymph 

268 A Devilish Good Joke 

269 A Twice T«ld Tale 

270 Paj de Fascination 
■^71 Revolutionary Soldier 

272 A Man Without a Head 

VOL. XXXV. 

273 The Olio, Part 1 
974 The Olio, Part 2 

275 The Olio, Part 3 [ter 

276 The Trumpetw's Daugh-. 

277 Seeing Warren 

278 <ireen Mountain Boy I 

279 That Nose 

2t>0 Tom Noddy's Secret 
VOL. XXXVL 

281 Shocking EvenU 

282 A Regular Fix 

283 Dick Turpin 

284 Young Scamp 

285 Young Actress 
2H6 Call at No. 1—7 

287 One Touch ol Nature 

288 Two B'hoys 

VOL. xxxvn. 

289 All the World's a Stage 
290Qnash, or Nigger prac- 

291 Turn Him Out [tice 

292 Pretty Girls of Stillberx 

293 Angel of the Attic 

294 CircumstancesalterCMes 

295 Katty O'Sheal 
096 A Supper in Dixie 

VOL. XXXVIIJ. 

297 In on Parle Francals 

298 Who Killed Cock Robin 

299 Declaration of Independ- 
^00 Heads or Tails [ence 
301 Obstinate Family 
:<02MyAnnt 

;W3 That Rascal Pat 
:<04 Don Paddv de Baiail 

VOL. XXXIX. [tare 

305 Too Much for Good N«- 

306 Cure for the Fidgets 
.307 Jack's the Lad 

.308 Much Ado AboiitNothlng 

309 Artful D<Meer 

310 Winning Hazard 

311 Day's Fishing [Ac. 

312 Dili you evr send your, 

VOL. XL. 

313 An Iri.shmair8 Maneuver 

314 Cousin Fannie 

315 'Ti« the DarVei>tHourbe--J 

316 Masquerade [fore Dawn 

317 Crowding the Season 

318 Good NIeht'sRest 

319 Man with the Carpet Bag' 

320 Terrible Tinker 



(French's Minor Drama Continued on ^d page of Cover.) 



SAMUEL FRENCH 26 West 32d Street. New York City. 

New and Explicit Descriptive Catalog^ue Mailed Free on Reqiuest. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



\ 1, : 

014 676 219 



